Starting Over
by Kuragari1024
Summary: The tale of what happened to my Xenomorph charcters Makoto and Shisome from One Crazy Life after they were freed to begin their new hive.
1. A New Home

**Disclaimer-I do not own Alien(s) or Predator, I do own my characters and messed-up stories. **

This is a kind of side-story to One Crazy Life; it's about Makoto and Shisome's journey to rebuild their hive and lives after Kurai and co. help them to escape. This one won't be incredibly long, but their may be a collection of random fics featuring some of the strange and random goings-on of the new hive.

Because I used_** bold italics**_ in OCL, I will be using regular font for this one. I only used the other one to distinguish the Xeno's thoughts and, since they are "talking" to one another, I'll just use _italics_.

Part 1

A New Home

The two Xenomorphs watched their friends walk away, feeling both happy and sad. They were happy at the knowledge that they now had a brand new home and plenty of resources, if Hoshi Yamamoto was to be believed, but they were sad, too. Kurai had been a true friend to both of them; the human girl had saved Makoto and his Queen from horrific experiments, and then she had allowed herself to be used as a willing host for Shisome! The Praetorian couldn't help but quietly marvel at that child; no other human he had ever met had treated him as anything other than a monster, but she, along with her companions, had helped them beyond anything they had ever expected.

Now Shisome, as she was now called, was sitting quietly on the ground, making a noise that her guard knew was their species' way of vocalizing sadness or displeasure. It was a sort of whimpering noise that made him a little depressed. "Come now, my Queen; we will certainly see her again. Kurai is not one to say she'll come back and just forget us. Now is the time for you to take your rightful place as a true Queen of this hive! I'll go get you something to eat and you can begin to grow; there's no point in you staying so small anymore." He comforted her as best he could.

"I suppose so; I'll see her again, it'll just take awhile. Very well, I'll eat, and then we must begin preparations for the children." She agreed.

Her guard carefully inspected the entrance to the cave and, with the intent on getting back as soon as possible, rushed off to hunt something for him and his young Queen. Shisome, meanwhile, sat quietly and focused, willing her body to resume growing at its normal rate. She had had to make her body stay in its small state in order to fit on the ship that brought her and Makoto to the planet the humans christened Pluvia, but now that she was no longer on that ship, there was just no point. After awhile, she could feel her body begin to obey her mental commands. Her skin began to feel a little tight, and soon began to actually crack in places. She felt her muscles begin to grow, as well as her very bones; and hoped that this wouldn't hurt too much. She would have to ask Makoto about growing, although he had not stopped his body's natural progression as she had.

Makoto was back after an hour, dragging some sort of bovine creature with six legs behind him. The thing was almost bigger than he was, and covered in shaggy brown hair. Its horns looked like they could pose quite a threat if it was significantly angered. They ate together, finding the meat of this creature to be very good indeed; not too tough, but not a lot of fatty parts, either. There was nothing but bones, hooves, and horns left after their meal; and Makoto left again, but this time it was to hall the skeleton far away from the hive, so no insects could begin to feed on the tiny bits of meet and marrow that were left. Something that humans did not know about their kind was that they didn't actually leave organic matter, food, waste, and egg cases and dead facehuggers, inside the actual hive. This could lead to the spread of diseases, which, from his gathering, it had taken humans years to figure out for themselves. Nor did they use the rivers that they were near for toilet uses; that was just disgusting! Makoto had to shudder at the human's practice of using the toilet in their own homes, where they slept, where they _ate_!

Another thing humans often got wrong was their notion that all his species did was hunt for food and hosts all day. That was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. In fact, many things had to be done to keep a hive running smoothly. First, the Queen had to be tended to at all times by the Drones, eggs, if there were any, had to betaken care of, and the whole place had to be cleaned almost constantly. Despite what some thought, the resin they secreted and put on the walls for various purposes was not waste; far from it. The stuff was actually very clean, and kept heat in when it was cold, held hosts in place, and provided camouflage in case of attack.

Makoto returned later to find that Shisome could barely keep from falling asleep. This was normal for them; emerge from the host's body, find something to eat, and then sleep as they grew. Picking her up carefully, he took her to the chamber that they had explored earlier. The place was absolutely perfect for a Queen. Another good thing about these caves was that they were actually big enough for Shisome to get around in. Many humans thought that a Queen was attached to her egg sac for life unless she tore free of it (a painful process.), but in fact the thing withered every couple of months to give the Queen some freedom to move around for about two weeks. And Queens didn't lay eggs constantly, like some Earth insects. What would be the point in producing more children when there was a famine or something? The simple truth was that the Queen only laid eggs when the hive needed more members. If there was not enough food or hosts, then no new eggs would be produced.

Shisome finally fell into the deep sleep of a hatchling going through her metamorphosis into an adult. She wouldn't wake up, need food, or use the toilet until she was done. Looking at her, Makoto was glad that the prolonged period of keeping her growth at bay didn't inhibit it. Giving his growing Queen one more check, he walked to a spot a little ways away from her and fell into his own sleep.

**Well, hope you guys like this one. Please R&R!**


	2. Host

Disclaimer-Not mine.

Part 2

They both slept for a long time; Makoto because he was tired from all the excitement, and Shisome because of the massive growth spurt that was taking place within her. When they woke up the next morning, Makoto found that Shisome had grown immensely. She was absolutely enormous, bugger than two of Kurai's vehicles, and the massive crest on her head was no small matter either. She still hadn't woken up yet, and Makoto decided that it might be a good idea if he got something for her to eat when she did.

Walking silently out of the cave, Makoto slipped off into the nearby forest, intent on finding another one of those things he had killed last night. He had found those creatures' meat to be very good, and thought that Shisome would enjoy it. It didn't take him long to find one of them, and proceeded to kill it and begin dragging it home. If there was one thing he didn't like about these things, it was the amount of hair they had. Vaguely he wondered if any young that used these as hosts would have hair, too, then hissed in laughter at the thought.

When he arrived home, he found Shisome sitting there, it looked as though she had woken up a while ago. "Ah, so that's where you went." She said.

"Yes, I thought you'd be hungry when you woke up." He explained.

"You thought right, thank you."

She began to eat, and when she was done, the animal was picked clean of all meat. After she was finished, she sat down and began to clean the blood off her face and body. "Well, it seems I've grown a little while I slept." His Queen commented.

"Yes, you are now an adult by our standards, and soon you'll start producing eggs. I'll go see if I can find other things to use as hosts." Makoto said. Shisome looked a little apprehensive at this statement, and Makoto noticed. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy now that you've grown."

"I am happy, it's just...I don't know what to do now. I know I'm supposed to assume my role as Queen, but I just don't know what exactly that role really is. Do I just start laying eggs right away? Or are there other things I need to do first? I'm confused, Makoto!" she sounded like it, too. He had never known that a Queen could actually doubt herself this way. He moved over to comfort her.

"Don't worry; yes, we need to make a few preparations, but those will only take a couple of days. During this time you can begin to lay eggs. I will get things ready for the young. Everything will be fine and in a few days you'll feel better." He didn't know what else to say, but this seemed to do the trick.

"All right," Shisome sighed, "I suppose you're right. You've been in a real hive before, so you know what to do. I feel tired again, so I'm going to go lay down for awhile." With this, she retreated back into her chamber. Makoto noticed that she was giving a smell that he recognized; the smell of a Queen about to lay eggs. He figured that the first Drone of the new hive could be born before tomorrow. Knowing this, he quickly left the cave to find a host for the new arrival.

In the forest, he looked around, and saw a couple more of those creatures he had used for food earlier. Making up his mind not to use one of these, he went on his way; wanting to find something else.

Meanwhile…

Shisome was feeling tired again, and head went back to her chamber to sleep. She was also feeling strange, but not in an entirely bad way. Settling down into a comfortable position, she fell into another deep sleep, but not before wondering how many of them she would have to go through.

When she woke up, she found that she felt as though she was larger in some way, and soon found out why. Attached to her was an enormous egg sac, stretching almost fifteen feet out from her. Feeling a sudden tremor coming from her the new organ, she found herself in a brief moment of pain, and then…

The egg came out of her and was deposited gently on the ground beside her. It was about two feet tall, and a grayish pink color, with four slits in the top of it for the hatchling to emerge. Shisome stretched out as much as she could with the enormous weight attached to her and gently picked up the egg and brought it closer to her. Somehow, having it near her made her feel better. She could already feel the facehugger's mind reaching out to her; asking her if it was time to come out yet. _"No, you must wait, but not for long."_ She told it comfortingly. It settled down, and she rested from her ordeal.

Her first child! She couldn't have been happier. She hoped Makoto would come back soon; the baby needed a host as soon as possible. At the thought of being born, the small hugger wiggled in its egg; eager for life. Shisome had to laugh quietly at this; how impatient it was! Once again, she settled down to wait for Makoto. When he got back, he would doubtless go in search of a host for the hatchling, if that was not what he was doing already. She silently thanked him for all that he did for her.

Meanwhile…again.

Makoto struck out with his barbed tail and injected the creature with the venom that rendered it unconscious. The fight had been intense; he had a few scratches here and there, and the ground beneath him melted in places from his corrosive blood, but he was the victor nonetheless. The creature was roughly his size, and was similar in appearance to the dogs the humans liked so much. It had come upon hem unexpectedly, a true rarity among his species, and attacked.

The fight hadn't been long, but it had seemed like it. The dog-thing had fought like ten beings; biting and scratching him like mad. A couple of times, it had jumped back, yelping in pain as Makoto's blood touched it. Because he needed the thing alive to bring back to the hive, he didn't injure it too badly. It would live; at least for the moment. Grapping onto the thing, he began to drag it back to the hive, all the while wondering how his Queen was doing.

When he got back he found out. Walking into Shisome's chamber, he found her sleeping lightly, but it was what was beside her that grabbed his attention. Just as he had thought, the egg sat there beside it's Queen, waiting for a host to be brought to it. Knowing the time was near, he took the creature to a separate place in the cave and there began to secrete resin and bind the thing to the wall. Coming back into the chamber, he found Shisome awake and waiting for him.

"It seems as though you anticipated this, Makoto; well done. Now it is time to impregnate the host." She said.

Makoto did as he was told, and gently picked up the egg and took it out of the chamber. He placed it in front of the host, and left it. As he was leaving, he caught a glimpse of the hatchling crawling out of the egg, and then heard a yelp from the doomed host.


	3. Firstborn

Disclaimer-Don't own Alien(s). Waaaah!

Part 3

Firstborn

Makoto listened as the sounds of painful yelping and howls of agony came from the chamber beyond. He had been told to oversee the birth of Shisome's first child, to make sure everything went well. She was understandably nervous; this being her first child and a new place.

Makoto rose from where he had been laying and went into the hatching chamber to see how the birth was progressing. The canine creature gave one final howl as its huge chest bursting outward in a spray of bright red blood. A little scream could be heard, and the large Praetorian looked to see the tiny chestburster crawling out of the remains of its host.

It crawled over and sat at Makoto's feet, looking up and hissing questioningly at him. The larger Xeno reached down and gently picked the newborn up. He began to walk to Shisome's chamber; she had asked that Makoto bring her child to her after it was born. The chestburster was tense at first, but then relaxed in the older Xeno's hands.

Shisome was sleeping, or at least trying to. She hadn't gotten used to sleeping standing up, as her enormous egg sac wouldn't let allow her to lay down comfortably. The Queen looked up as her guard entered the room, and she got excited when she saw what Makoto was carrying.

"My child…" she said quietly.

Makoto walked over to his Queen and handed the little one to her. She reached down with her second, smaller set of arms and gently picked up her child. The chestburster was male, and Shisome set to work thinking up a name for him.

No ordinary name would do; this was the first Xenomorph born in the new hive. Shisome thought and though and finally decided that it might be best to allow the chestburster to mature and show more of a personality before naming him. With this decision reached, Shisome told Makoto to go out and get a few small creatures for the growing Xeno to eat.

When Makoto left, Shisome gently set her child down to let it get used to moving around on its own. It took to slithering around the cave floor, poking its muzzle into small cracks. Shisome was suddenly struck with a very distressing thought; her child wasn't communicating with her! She could talk to Kurai when she was a facehugger, and certainly when she as a chestburster, so why wasn't her own child talking with her? Perhaps he was shy? Or, maybe there was something wrong? No! There couldn't be something wrong with him! Shisome tried to get the little one's attention, but he didn't seem to hear her. She tried again, and again, nothing.

She was devastated. What was wrong with him? He had spoken to her when he was in his egg, so why not now? She tried one final time to get his attention, but failed. Dismayed, she gave a long, anguished cry.

Makoto was just about to grab the small rodent-like creature he'd picked for the new arrival's food, when he heard his Queen cry out. Abandoning his hunting, he rushed back to the hive at top speed. As he ran, he could only guess what was happening to Shisome back home.

When he arrived at the hive, he rushed to the Queen's chamber to find...nothing. There didn't seem to be anything wrong at all. Shisome was making sad little sounds while the chestburster looked up at her curiously.

"What's wrong? Why did you cry out like that?" Makoto inquired.

"He...he won't...he can't answer me!" she replied, her voice sounded so sad.

"What do you mean he won't answer you?"

"I tried to speak with him, but he doesn't seem to hear me! Is there something wrong with him?"

Makoto walked over to the young one and gently lifted him up to "eye" level. He tried to communicate with the child, but was unable to get any response. Finally, he sat the little one down again and went over to give his Queen the bad news.

"He's defective. It happens sometimes when there's something wrong with the host. That canine creature probably had something wrong with it. I...I'm sorry for bringing it."

"No, you couldn't have known...what do we do with him? He can't talk like the rest of our kind."

"Well, there's nothing we can do but wait a little while to see if he develops communicative abilities or not. If not, we can..." he made a slashing motion with his tail.

"No! You...you can't! He's my firstborn! So what if he's a little...slow, he's my child! We have to find a way to communicate with him! We just have to..." she sounded so desperate.

"Shisome, this has to do with the future of our hive! What will we do with a member who can't take orders or communicate? He's not...healthy. I'm not saying we have to do it right away, just that it might be something you should consider. Let's give him a few days."

Shisome was going to protest, but then, realizing that Makoto had been in a hive before, sadly nodded. Makoto nodded in return and left again to find food for the child.

Shisome looked at her firstborn; he was still exploring the cave and had wondered over to her and began to rub his head against her leg. She gave a Xeno smile and gently lifted him into her smaller arms again. He made the happy growl that was a Xenomorph's way of vocalizing pleasure and was still.

_"Please, try to hear me..."_ Shisome thought, as her son began to snooze lightly.


	4. Feather

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 4

Feather

The next morning, Shisome woke to found that the newest addition to the hive had grown into an adult Runner.

He was a deep reddish-brown color, and very thin. He walked on all fours, as opposed to Makoto, who could walk upright if he so chose. The young Runner walked over to Shisome and began growl happily and rub his head against her, a sign of affection. Makoto came over and began to walk around and around the younger male, inspecting him curiously. Shisome watched all this from where she sat attached to her egg sac.

"Well, he seems physically fine, and I can hear his thoughts, but just barely; though I'm sure you already can hear him, my Queen." Makoto said at last. The Runner, seeing that the Praetorian was done with him, crawled over to one of the walls and climbed up onto a high ledge, where he curled up to watch the events below.

"That's wonderful, but how did he get like that?" Shisome asked, looking up sadly at her first son.

"As far as I can figure, it's either that something was wrong with the host, or the egg was defective from the start. I mean, it was your first egg, and you did have to wait longer for a host than was normal."

"Are you saying," Shisome hissed quietly, "that what is wrong with him is my fault?"

"No, of course not! It's just that there are so many factors to consider here. There's nothing to suggest that it could be your fault, my Queen! I-I'm going out to find some food for us, the young one must be hungry." Makoto said quickly.

"I think that would be a good idea." Shisome said quietly. Makoto nodded and walked out of the chamber and headed out into the surrounding forest to find food.

The Queen turned her attention to the young Runner, who appeared to be asleep on his ledge. She let out a sad little cry before she could stop herself; they had come all this way, been through so much, just to have this happen right when they thought life would finally start to become good. She began to think about her child, and what his fate would be if he couldn't develop his communicative abilities soon. As much as she hated to admit it, he would be of no use to the hive if he couldn't take simple orders. He could never be sent out to hunt for food or hosts, or be put on guard duty if he couldn't follow simple instructions or relay information back. He would be killed if he didn't develop his abilities...such a cruel life to be born into... Shisome thought that if only Kurai were here, she could help the young one, or at least tell them what was wrong, but Kurai was a million miles away; traveling with those barbaric hunters. The large female couldn't see what the girl saw in their race, and truth be told, she didn't exactly hate Ko, even though he did grab her rather roughly when she was a baby.

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of the runner crawling down the wall and over to her. He had apparently been awakened by her cry and was coming over to see what was wrong her. Even though she could just barely hear his young mind, Shisome could already feel that he would, like all Xenomorphs, feel an unbreakable bond with his Queen.

Hissing quietly to soothe her son, she saw that he was once again lying down, but this time, he was at her feet. She went back to her private thoughts.

Perhaps she could order Makoto not to hurt him? Surely he wouldn't disobey a direct order from his Queen? Shisome began to think on this; she was indeed his Queen, but he hadn't bonded with her like he had his last Queen. Perhaps that was why he contradicted her so often; he didn't have as strong a bond with her as one of her own children would? Or was it that Praetorians, being higher in rank than most other strains were more…bold than others. Makoto had certainly never told her "no" or refused an order, but he certainly did argue, though he did this carefully. She soon found herself drifting off; all this stress was making her tired...

_Meanwhile, in the forest…_

Makoto delivered the fatal bite; a crushing blow to the neck of the giant bird that he had chosen for a meal. The large white creature was bigger than he was, and slightly resembled one of Earth's chickens. The thought of the taste of those birds made the Praetorian's mouth water like crazy as he dropped the now dead fowl to the ground. He then sat to the task of dragging the creature back to the hive, hoping that Shisome wouldn't bring up the fact that he had been speaking out of turn again.

It wasn't as though it was his intention to be insolent, and it disturbed him greatly that he had, or even could, talk to a Queen of his hive that way. He had certainly never spoken to his pervious Queen like that. All she had to do was give an order and he would be half done by the time she got the words out. But now here he was, acting as though he were in charge of the hive! How dare he argue with Shisome? The only time he had ever seen a Xenomorph arguing with a Queen was once when he was just a young one.

One of the other Praetorians was having a dispute with one of the many Drones about where to hunt that night. It seemed that the Praetorian was favoring the forest, which was a ways off and far from prying human eyes, the place had much game, but it was becoming wary of their presence. The Drone, on the other hand, thought it would be best to hunt in the mountains, where game was also plentiful, but the place was less than half a mile away from the human colony; one could see their buildings during the day, it was so close. The Praetorian told the Drone that they would take the case to the Queen, even though the Praetorian outranked the Drone and could have made him hunt anywhere he wanted.

The two had each pleaded their cases before their Queen, while the whole hive, including Makoto, watched to see what would happen. Finally, the Queen had ruled in the Praetorian's favor; saying that it would be better to work a little harder finding food than to wind up shot by one of the humans and risk the safety of the hive. The Drone had jumped up in outrage, saying that she had ruled in the Praetorian's favor because he was of higher rank. The entire hive had gone dead quiet then; not even the sound of clattering chitin could be heard. The Drone knew his mistake instantly and lowered his head in submission. Makoto remembered that his Queen had been forced to punish the Drone for his insolent behavior by making him clean out every chamber in the hive by himself.

These thoughts occupied his mind as he dragged the giant bird back to the hive and began the descent into the Queen's chamber. His belly growled with hunger and for half a second he thought about eating some of the meat, but quickly dismissed the thought; eating food before his Queen or not getting her permission to do so was the closest thing Xenomorphs had to a sin.

He eventually made his way to the Queen's chamber, where Shisome was waiting for him, seemingly lost in thought. She lifted her magnificently crested head when she heard his footsteps, or maybe if was the smell of fresh blood that got her attention; it always got his. He dragged the bird over to Shisome and laid it at her feet. She began to eat, while the other two stepped back and waited until she finished. Luckily, the bird was too big for even Shisome to finish, and soon she was done and allowed the others to begin eating.

Fifteen minutes later, there was nothing left of the bird except for some bones, a little blood on the floor, and some feathers. Makoto then began the task of removing the remains from the hive. While he was dragging the bones out of the chamber, the young Runner went over to the feathers and tentatively poked them with a clawed finger.

Finding that they were soft, the young male picked one of the largest ones up and was soon on his back, throwing the feather up into the air and playing with it. He seemed to be enjoying himself quite thoroughly, and Shisome couldn't help but let out a laughing hiss at his antics. Then an idea came into Shisome's head. Makoto came back in at just that moment to finish the cleanup.

"Feather." Shisome said quietly.

"Pardon me, my Queen?" Makoto said, sounding confused.

"His name, it's Feather."

"Feather? That's not really a very...intimidating name, is it?"

"Well, his name is Feather, and I'm just so sorry if you don't like it." Shisome said. Makoto nodded; he got the hint.

"Feather." A quiet voice said in their heads. They both turned to see the Runner sitting quietly in the middle of the room. "I am...Feather."

"Y-Yes! Yes, you are Feather, and you are my first child." Shisome said, her happiness was unmistakable.

"You are my Queen, and I will love and serve you as long as I am alive." He said. The more he spoke, the more he seemed to learn. Shisome was overjoyed that her child could finally speak, and so he would be spared.

"I'm tired, my Queen." The newly dubbed Feather said.

"Then sleep, my child, and tomorrow you will begin your duties in the hive." the Queen said quietly. Feather nodded and crawled back up onto the ledge, where he curled up and went to sleep.

"Feather..." Shisome said again, before settling down to sleep herself; that meal had made her very sleepy. She would have to get Makoto to find her another one of those things sometime; they were good! Today had been a pretty good day, after all.


	5. Learning

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 5

Learning 

The next day, Shisome woke to find Feather curled up at her feet. The young Runner soon followed her example and woke up. The Queen decided that today would begin with a few basic lessons for her son before he began his duties.

"Feather, come here, my child." Shisome said, for the Runner was now smelling the dried blood on the floor from the day before. He didn't seem to find the scent pleasing, because he turned his back on it and walked to her with his tail high in the air.

"Yes, my Queen, what is it you wish? Are you hungry? Thirsty?" he asked. Shisome rumbled quietly at his attentiveness.

"No, no; you need to learn some things before you start your duties, that's all. Oh, where is Makoto?"

"Oh, he went out hunting a while ago, he told me to tell you earlier. Please forgive me for not telling you sooner."

"Don't worry; at least we know where he is. Anyway, there are things you must learn now that you probably don't know by instinct."

"Like what, my Queen?" Feather asked, he sounded very curious.

"Well, you don't know this, but I was not born in the...usual way."

"How were you born?"

"As you know, our race comes from eggs, which hatch and release the first stage of our life cycle. This stage attaches to the face of a host, where it implants an embryo in the host's body and then grows until it is able to survive in the outside world. When the baby emerges, the host dies, and the baby runs off to grow."

"I know all these things, my Queen; but what made you different?" Feather said.

"I went through the process of attaching myself to the face of a human, and I grew in her body until I was ready to be born, but I did not burst from her as I normally would have. Instead, I was removed before I could end up taking her life. That is how I am different from most of out kind."

"And...what of the human?"

"She was unlike any other human you'll ever meet, Feather. Her name was Kurai, and she rescued Makoto and myself from a horrible life in captivity. The humans who took us were very cruel, in fact, most of Makoto's scars were obtained from his stint in their cages. Kurai allowed us not only to live with her, but also let herself be used as a host for me, and she, along with her friends, found this hive for us. If there's on human in this world you can trust, it is Kurai."

"So, she is not an enemy?"

"No, she is not; she is welcome in this hive any time she wishes. You are never to harm her; or her friends, is that clear?"

"What friends, my Queen? You didn't mention them before." Feather said.

"Kurai has two friends that are welcome here as well. The first one you must know about is named Taki. He is a male human, and more...eccentric than Kurai. The second one is not a human, but he is trustworthy nonetheless. His name is Ko, and there is something about his race that might frighten you."

"What is that, my Queen? Why do you think it will frighten me?" Feather asked, cocking his head to one side and staring up at her.

"As I said, Ko is not human; he is of a race called the Yautja, and in his culture it is a practice to routinely...hunt and kill our race for sport."

"What! No, that can't be! What kind of cruel beings would do such a thing? How can this Kurai be friends with such a person?" Feather asked, horrified.

"First, you must keep in mind that we, too kill; we kill just to be born, we kill to defend ourselves and our hive and we kill to eat. Second, I trust Kurai's decision about Ko; I know that Kurai will keep him in line...and he...cares for her...a great deal, if I read his thoughts correctly."

"She must be a very patient person." The Runner muttered under his breath. Shisome nodded before continuing.

"The last person you must know of is a very old human male named Hoshi. He is Kurai's mother's father, and he provided the transport for us to come here, as well as telling us about this planet and the location of our hive. We owe them all a great debt, my child; never forget that."

"Yes; I will not forget. Do you think that I will ever meet Kurai and her companions?"

Shisome thought a moment before answering."Yes, I believe you will meet her one day. I'm sure she will be very happy to meet you too." Feather seemed pleased at this.

"Well, that is all I have to teach you for the moment…now we must find you something to do…hmm, there are no eggs for you tend to at the moment, and Makoto's off hunting…let's see…Oh, I know! You may go around the hive and explore a little. We need to know this place inside and our soon; I plan on you having some siblings within a week."

"My Queen; I will do as you ask." Feather said.

"Very well, but don't go too far; I don't want you getting lost." Shisome said.

"Understood." The Runner replied, before turning and walking out of the room.

Shisome sighed; now all that needed to be done was to get Makoto to go out and get a few hosts. The Queen wondered if her future children would be like Feather was, or worse. She hated the idea of her children suffering such a fate. Still, there was nothing to do but to try. So it was decided; she would lay a few more eggs when Makoto got her some hosts.


	6. A Growing Family

Disclaimer-Not mine.

Starting Over

Part 6

A Growing Family

Makoto returned later that day, dragging a large leaf on which there was a pile of good-sized rodents. Shisome was listening to Feather, who was reporting on what he had found while exploring their new hive. It seemed that there was ample space for at least one hundred Xenomorphs, and the young one had also discovered several underground pools containing fresh water, and some were filled with fish. The Runner and the Queen looked up as the Praetorian came in, and immediately they could smell the blood. Makoto walked over and laid the leaf and its contents at Shisome's feet and stepped back.

They all had a good meal, and Shisome was glad to see that so many things on this world tasted good. She would have hated to live on foul-tasting creatures. After they were done and the remains were removed from the hive, Shisome called Makoto over to her; it was time to tell him of her decision to create a few more eggs.

"Tomorrow you will take Feather and go out to find some suitable hosts; I plan on laying more eggs soon. Our hive is large, the food is plentiful and the water is clean. As long as we do not grow too many in number and deplete our resources, we should be able to remain here. I can feel my body telling me that I must have children; it is an undeniable instinct. I only hope that they are not..." her voice trailed off when she looked at Feather.

"Not like me, Mother? I know what you mean; you don't have to hide it. I understand that I put you through a lot of pain and worry; and I truly apologize. I don not know what was wrong with me; it was like I was trying to speak but couldn't. But now I can speak, and I will help you in any endeavor you undertake, my Mother, my Queen. My siblings will be fine, I know it somehow, and our hive will be glorious!" Feather sounded so sure when talked, and Shisome felt a little ashamed of herself.

"Thank you, Feather; your words mean a great deal to me." Shisome said quietly.

"If it is your will, I will go out tomorrow and bring you hosts, and I will defend this hive to my dying breath. This hive will be born anew; with no humans to ruin our lives with their cruelty!" Makoto vowed to his Queen, who nodded proudly.

They all slept well that night, and the next morning they woke to find that the Shisome had woken up a little early and had laid three eggs. They sat at her feet, waiting for a host to be put in front of them so that they could hatch. Makoto and Feather walked out of the hive and into the forest, all the while looking for anything that would make a good host. The task would take all day, since there were three eggs to provide hosts for. On the way, they stopped to get a drink of water. During this time, they both saw that there were very large fish in the river. They would be a fine meal for both Shisome and the rest of the hive.

They went deep into the forest, each one looking out for possible hosts. There were many forms of animal life, and various birds could be heard in the trees. The forest was a beautiful deep green, with shadowy paths made by various creatures large and small. These paths criss-crossed and wound their way all through the forest. Insects flew here and there, and every now and then small creatures could be heard scurrying through the underbrush. Makoto knew full well that the local animal life would catch on to them and know what there presence meant in a short time.

At last, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a large, blue-green creature that was crawling out of the river. It reminded Makoto of the salamanders on Earth, which Kurai had told him about and showed him mental images of during some of their spare moments together; except this thing was about half his size.

Quickly, the two rushed over to the thing, which hissed threateningly, although the treat was wasted on them, and, seeing that it was outnumbered, tried to waddle back into the river on its short legs. Feather quickly headed it off and Makoto quickly delivered a dose of paralyzing venom from the barb on his tail. The creature was soon in a light coma, allowing the two Xenos to carry it back home. They both wondered what the resulting hive member would look like, and passed the time talking about it.

When they arrived home, Makoto went into Shisome's chamber to retrieve one of the eggs, while Feather went into the chamber in which he was born to secure the salamander-thing to the wall.

It was a common misconception amongst the humans that, when a host was dead after the chestburster emerged, the Xenomorphs just left it there on the wall to rot. This was completely untrue. Leaving something like that to fester and decay was like begging for a disease to wipe out the hive. The host's corpse was taken away as soon as possible and left in a location far away from the hive so as not to spread disease, or create a stink that could make even their species vomit. The canine creature that was Feather's host had been dragged away days ago, leaving nothing but some blood on the floor and some dried resin on the wall.

Another belief was that Xenos ate their hosts, which was also untrue. Makoto never understood this, but he, and everyone else he had ever asked about it, had admitted that, after being born, they had no interest in the flesh of their host. Logically it make no sense; there was a source of meat that did not require energy to obtain, but there was no urge to eat it.

When Makoto brought the egg in, he found Feather busy applying the last bits of resin to the creature. The Praetorian sat the egg gently down in front of the host, where it opened almost immediately. The facehugger crawled out and leapt up onto the face of it's host, which was beginning to wake from its coma. There was a slight struggle, but the all was still. Knowing that there was nothing left to do now but wait, the two decided to go back into the forest and bring back something else.

An hour later, they returned with another host; a large feline animal that resembled one of Earth's lions, except this one was slightly larger, and colored a deep gray.

This one joined the other one glued to the wall, where another egg was placed in front of it. They made sure that the facehugger attached properly before leaving for the forest for the third host. They looked hard, and soon found another host, another of the canine creatures like the one Feather came from.

"Come, let's grab this one and go home; it's getting dark and I'm getting tired." Feather said.

"I don't know, no offense, Feather; but that is the same kind of creature that you came from, and I'm not sure if it was the host that made you...the way you were. Perhaps we should wait until Kurai visits us. She can examine you and those creatures and see if something's wrong with them." Makoto reasoned.

"I suppose you're right; and anyway, we already know what will come from them, so let's find something that would make an interesting hive member, yes?" Feather reluctantly agreed.

Makoto nodded and they continued to search. the sun was beginning to set, and the night creatures were beginning to emerge from their daytime dens. Makoto could sense that, as the creatures of the day went to bed, the creatures of the night were waking from their sleep. There were an abundance of things that would make good hosts, and plenty of other things that would make good food.

Finally, they found a perfect candidate, but it was far from what they had expected.

They were still walking in the forest, when they came upon a high cliff. Looking down, they saw it; a human ship, and several humans.


	7. Humans

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 7

Humans

"Come, we must inform Shisome of their presence." Makoto said, looking down at where the humans were down below.

"But why? Can't we just take them as hosts?" Feather asked.

"No; there are too many of them, and they have weapons. We must go back to the hive quickly and think of a plan. If those humans spot us or our hive, they may call their military, and that's the last thing we need right now, with out numbers so low." Makoto said worriedly. A human ship was bad enough, but with enough of them they could take it, but a full-scale military assault? They wouldn't have a chance.

Quickly, they turned and began running back toward their home, wanting to put as much distance between themselves and that human ship. While they were running, Makoto began to think; there were several things that were on his mind that he needed to speak with his Queen about.

Finally, they arrived home and went straight to Shisome's chamber. The Queen was in her usual place, but this time she was not alone. Sitting at her feet, and still in the chestburster stage, were two new additions to the hive. Makoto could tell that one was a male, and the other, a female.

Shisome was growling happily as she watched her two newborns slither around the floor, occasionally playing a sort of tag game with each other; the winner shrieking happily.

The Queen looked up as the two entered the chamber and immediately knew something was amiss.

"What's wrong?" she asked, as the little female managed to catch up to her brother, but both babies looked up when they heard their mother's voice.

"Humans, they're here in a ship. I don't know why, but that's not important right now. We need to deal with this, and soon." Makoto said.

"Are...are you sure it's not Kurai?" Shisome asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid not, these are strangers, but they're not military, from what I can tell; and they don't look like they plan to settle here permanently." The Praetorian informed his Queen.

"Wait a moment; what was that that Hoshi said?" She tried to remember the old human's words.

_"__Pluvia isn't on any normal shipping route or of any strategic military value, so there won't be many humans out that way. The ones who do come will probably be running from the law or something, so they won't be missed if you decide to use them." _

"So, these are probably not doing anything here that will benefit this world…I say we go down there and use them as hosts. Mother told me that humans hosts lead to very intelligent members of our race; and who knows when or even if we will ever get another chance like this one? Odds are that they will not call the military, if they really are criminals or something." Makoto said. Shisome nodded.

"Yes, and we must act quickly; they could leave before we get there, or discover our hive." Feather said.

"Very well; go, and bring back as many as you possibly can, but I won't lay any eggs until you get back, in case you're unsuccessful. Be stealthy; don't attempt a full-on assault, we still don't know how many of them there are." Shisome said.

They nodded and turned to go; the winds would carry the scent of human blood tonight.


	8. A Plan of Attack

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 8

A Plan of Attack

They crept quietly through the underbrush, making sure to listen in case any of the humans got curious and decided to explore the forest. Makoto took the lead because of his experience, with Feather close behind him.

The two younger members of the hive had to stay behind, as they were now going through the molting process that would end with a fully grown Xenomorph.

Now it was the time for them to scout the area; it was decided a few minutes earlier that they would not burst in shrieking and hissing, but would be stealthy; taking one human at a time until they were all encased in resin on the hive's walls. At the moment, they were creeping up on the small encampment that was laid out before the ship; a few crates and a fire pit were left out, and the smell of human food was in the air. Makoto's lips curled up in distaste; he wasn't a big fan of cooked meat. The smell of humans was present as well; sweat, cigarette smoke and, Makoto hissed in irritation, urine. Why were humans so disgusting?

As they looked around, they saw that the crates all had different logos on them; so they were not from the same place, which meant that it was very possible that they were stolen goods. The ship was small, far more so that Kurai's, so there couldn't be a lot of them. Perhaps they could get this done in one night. The idea was that they would take their time; they'd abduct one human, and the others might just think that they took a walk in the forest and got lost. With any luck, if or when they found out what was really going on, there wouldn't be enough of them to pose a threat; with all the others used as hosts, their numbers would increase to that point. Humans were also very intelligent, and the Xenomorph that was born from them could inherit their memories; potentially a very valuable skill.

The door to the ship was closed. _"Lucky for you, humans, but you're luck can't last forever." _Makoto thought, and Feather hissed in agreement. He was right; for one human, luck was about to run out.

A hissing sound alerted the two that the ship's door was opening, and Makoto and Feather barely had time to jump behind some bushes before they were seen. This act was not out of fear, but Makoto knew that to be able to formulate a good plan of attack, one had to observe their enemy, and that was what the two Xenos were doing now.

The light from the inside the ship cast a patch of brightness on the ground, and the Praetorian hoped that the human coming out wouldn't notice the several Xenomorph footprints in the dirt; he made a mental note to grab a branch and wipe those out before they left, a technique Kurai had told him about, and one he had to thank her for when they met again.

The disgusting smell of alcohol drifted to them, and they could sense that this human was completely drunk. Perfect! He could imagine the explanation; he got drunk, wandered off into the forest, and got himself lost or killed by some alien life form, the last part was correct.

They watched as the human came out, and saw that it was a male, about twice Kurai's age, and beginning to lose his hair. He was carrying a large bottle in one hand, and Makoto was fairly certain that the contents were what led to his stupefied state. He was taller than Kurai, but not as much as Ko, and in one hand he held a knife, probably for protection out in the darkness; but in his drunken state and against two Xenomorphs, he had no chance.

The human stumbled out into the camp, singing loudly, which irritated the two who were watching him, and walked over toward the bush where they were hiding; and began to urinate into it!

The two jumped out of the way of the putrid stream and landed behind the startled human. "Oh, God, not here, they can't be here, too! This isn't real…I'm just shitfaced, that's all..." he muttered to himself, before dropping both his knife and the bottle.

"Quickly, Feather, immobilize him before he screams! We don't need the whole ship awakened by this fool's cries!" Makoto thought.

Feather leapt quickly forward and lashed out with his tail, injecting the paralyzing venom into the human. "Got him!" Feather hissed triumphantly. The human fell to his knees, then fell face forward onto the ground.

"Grab him and take him back to the hive; I must clean up here." Makoto said to the younger male, who nodded and grabbed the unconscious man and began dragging him off into the brush.

Makoto first ripped a branch from a nearby tree and began to sweep his tracks from the area. When that was done, he threw the branch into the bushes and took the bottle and knife and began walking home. On the way, he took a slight detour to throw the humans' things into the river; couldn't risk his shipmates seeing the effects and asking questions.

When he got back to the hive, he began to look for Feather. The young Xeno had already sealed the human up in resin and was just sitting the third of Shisome's eggs in front of him. "Good; I'm glad to see that you know what to do. Now, we're going to have to go back there tomorrow and observe them to see how many of them there are. We can't afford to think there's ten, when there's really twenty, now, can we?" Makoto said.

"Yes, and by then the two younger ones will be grown and can perhaps help us collect more hosts. Now, I will find food for us all; I know Mother must be getting hungry, and the young ones, too." Feather agreed.

Makoto nodded and walked into the Queen's chamber. Shisome was sleeping, probably tired from all the activity that had been going on lately, and he two new arrivals were finished with their metamorphosis and were sitting at the feet of their mother.

The male, who had come from the large feline, was a deep black, like the normal variety of Xeno, and he was well-muscled. He did not have any hair, of course, and his feet were large, like the paws of the big cat he'd come from. It would appear that, unlike Feather, he could easily walk on two legs, and his long tail had a less prominent ridge of spines going down it, but ended in the usual blade.

The female, on the other hand, was a deep blue, and slender, with the usual tail and head. Her hands and feet, however, were the things that set her apart. Between each delicate, clawed digit, was a fine, almost transparent, webbing. This was inherited from her amphibious host, and would aid the female greatly in swimming.

Makoto approached Shisome and sat down beside the female, who gave a hiss of greeting. "You must be an older member of the hive, where were you before now?" she asked. Makoto told her the story of how they came to Pluvia and of where he had been recently. She sat there, transfixed at her story.

"Fascinating! Oh, what's your name?" the female asked.

"Makoto, and you?" the large male asked.

"I…I don't know; Mother was asleep when I came in, so she hasn't given me a name yet." She replied.

He turned to the male, who had been listening to the two of them quietly. "And you? Do you not have a name either?"

"No; as my sister said, Mother was sleeping when we entered the room, so I have no name yet, either." He said, his voice was deep, but had a quiet, noble quality to it.

"Well I suppose we'll have to rectify that situation, won't we?" Shisome's voice said from above their heads. They looked up and saw that she was looking down on them and smiling softly.

"Really, Mother, you're going to name us?" they both said excitedly.

"Of course! But I'm sorry to say that I have to see more of your personality and abilities before I can name you, that's the way Kurai did it with me and Makoto and it seems like the best way. So, you and Makoto and Feather will go to the humans' ship. At the least I want you to observe them, and at the most, I want you to bring back one or two. Be careful; humans can figure out far more than they let on, and they're most dangerous when they're afraid."

"Yes, Mother." The two said, and turned, as if to leave.

"Wait, Feather is out hunting for food. We should eat before we go, and form a plan of attack." Makoto said.

They didn't have to wait long before Feather returned, carrying two large deer-like creatures. He put them on the floor, then went over to Makoto.

"I need some help; I got two more of these, but couldn't carry four of them. They're not far from here." He informed his elder. Makoto nodded and helped him, and soon Shisome had eaten, and the others could enjoy fresh meat as well. While they were eating, they began to talk strategy.

"All right, here's what I believe we should do." Makoto said, the others glanced up-or down, in Shisome's case-at him.

"We need to wait until they leave the ship and go search for their friend. As they go through the jungle, one of us will distract them and, while they focus on that one, the others will pick them off." Makoto said.

"But, Mother said she wanted one of us inside the ship, right? And what if they don't search for their friend? From what you told us earlier, they are probably thieves or something, so I don't think they're the type to care for one another." The female said softly.

"Good point, all right then, how about this one. We'll observe them for a while, and see how things are done at their camp, then We'll get one of us inside the ship when someone comes out to attend to the fire or some such. After that, the one inside the ship will exit and tell the rest of us what they found. We will then ambush them in the forest, is that all right?" he asked.

No one seemed to have any objections, so they bade goodbye to their Queen and headed out into the night.


	9. Alien Onboard

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 9

Alien Onboard

The Xenos ran through the forest to the humans' encampment. The ship gradually came into view, and the Xenomorphs fanned out into the surrounding bushes of the campsite. All they needed was for one of the humans to come out to do something so that one of them could slip inside the ship.

It had to be someone other that Makoto, because he was far too big to walk around quietly, and he could not walk on walls or ceilings. Finally, they decided that it would be best for Feather to go. Now all that was left to do was to wait.

They didn't have to wait long. Soon, another human came out of the ship to inspect the crates. Makoto wondered why they paid such attention to those crates. Sure, they were probably filled with stolen goods, but there was no one else on the planet who could possibly steal them; or not that Makoto knew of. One of the others made a rustling noise in the bushes to draw the human farther away from the ship's door in order to give Feather a better chance of getting in. There was only one shot at this, since they were apt to leave if they spotted Xenos on this planet.

While the human was using a stick to poke around in the bushes, Feather made a beeline for the ship. Quickly, the Runner scurried to the ship's open door, and disappeared into it. Makoto, seeing this, heaved a small sigh; this part of the plan had gone smoothly, at least.

Feather quickly ran into the humans' ship. Immediately he found that he didn't like it. There was so much shiny stuff everywhere. "Metal." Mother's voice whispered in his mind. "Humans call it metal, and they use it in a similar way to the way we use resin. The smell is rather unpleasant, and it can be very slick under the feet, but it's not as bad as glass." She informed him.

"Glass?" Feather thought curiously as he climbed up onto the ceiling to walk around where he might not be seen so easily.

"Yes, glass. It's basically sand and some other materials that are heated until it melts and becomes smooth. Humans use it for all kinds of things, but it's not nearly as strong as metal. I walked on glass when I was in my first life stage." She said. Feather walked around for awhile, but still he didn't see any humans. Soon, however, he could hear their voices. The Runner thought about how strange it was, the way the humans talked. The Xenomorphs used their minds to speak to each other most of the time, but the hissing and shrieking was usually just for emphasis. Humans, on the other hand, couldn't communicate with their minds, and it seemed like they were always talking.

He crept up on them from the ceiling, making sure not to make a sound. There were about five of them, all sitting around a large table. These five plus the one outside, plus the one that he and Makoto had taken, meant that there were seven when they arrived on Pluvia.

"seven?" Well, that's good; at least it's not twenty or thirty. From what Kurai told me once, people who steal for a living don't usually travel in large groups; they don't trust others enough. This will be easy, if they don't have any large weapons. Observe them, Feather, and find out exactly why they're here if you can. Read their minds, if you have to." Shisome said. Feather got a little closer to the humans, but kept very quiet. Listening carefully, he began to pick up their conversation.

"Well, where the hell did he go, then?" a large one with yellow hair growled to a thin one with a shaved head.

"The dumbass probably got himself drunk off his ass and got lost in the forest. We'll probably find him in a day or so, huddled up at the base of a tree and crying like a baby!" a young one with close-cut brown hair laughed.

"Aw, hell! We never should have come to this hell-hole planet anyways! Shoulda just holed up on Earth, where we coulda at least went to a bar or whorehouse. All we got by way of liquor is that cheap shit from our last raid, and the closest thing we got to a whore's that girl Adelicia, and I don't think she'd be very much fun, she's such a damn prude." A tall man with long, greasy black hair and cold grey eyes said, while puffing on a cigarette.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, I haven't had a woman in nearly six months, and here that little bitch is runnin' around in front of me? I'd like to teach her what happens when you tempt a man the way she does." The blonde man said.

"Well, why don't you; not like she has anywhere to go here, and she don't have anywhere else to go besides with us." A tall man with short brown hair laughed.

Feather listened to them in disgust. These people deserved what was going to happen to them. "We're doing the universe a favor, getting rid of them." He thought to himself. He was distracted a moment later by the sound of another voice, this one was female.

"E-Excuse me, but I finished mopping the floors in the galley and I'm ready to start dinner. It'll be ready in an hour."

Feather followed the source of the voice and found it. In the doorway stood a female human, glancing nervously around the room at the five men. She was young, with pale-looking skin that had a few scars here and there. She had long reddish-brown hair, which was tied back with a thin strip of cloth and hung down to her waist. Her eyes were a very attractive green, but they were puffy, as if she had been crying. The girl-Adelicia, by what the men had said-was wearing a long blue dress that was fading and had several patches and was torn in a few places. Feather couldn't help feeling sorry for her, and felt a pang of shock at seeing that she was barefoot.

"An hour's a long time. Why don't you and I go somewhere private? It's time you pay me back for letting you come on this ship with us. You're filthy, but a woman's a woman." The blonde man said to her.

"N-no, I don't think so, but I'll go get dinner ready." She said quickly and hurried away from the room.

"Prude." The blonde man, who was obviously the leader, said.

"What are we going to do with the girl, Mother?" Feather asked.

"Keep to the original plan for now; render her unconscious, then bring her back to the hive. Put the males in cocoons and take one of my eggs to them, but cocoon the girl in my chamber. If I like her, we'll keep her, if not, she'll join the others. Be gentle with her, just in case." Shisome said.

"Yes Mother." Feather said, and continued to watch the humans around the table. From them, he found out that they were thieves who had come to Pluvia to escape from the law after a particularly long crime spree. The things in the crates were indeed stolen goods, and ones that the thieves were intent on protecting at any cost. The girl was called Adelicia, and she was the ship's maid and cook.

"Feather, we've captured the human outside and are awaiting further information from you." Makoto's voice came into Feather's head. "Remember; you are to get information on their weapons, too." The Praetorian reminded him.

"Very well, Makoto; now let me work!" Feather's mind hissed back.

"Then get to it and stop hanging around watching them!"

Feather growled quietly and searched the humans' minds for the information he wanted. He soon found that the humans' weapons storage room was not too far away. Quickly and quietly, he crawled away from his previous position and over to the weapons room. The door was unlocked; typical of humans to do such a stupid thing. Slowly, he opened the door and went into the room.

Inside the room was a wide assortment of human firearms. Guns of many shapes and sizes were lined up on the walls, and a couple of very large ones were laying in the floor.

"This isn't good, what are we going to do, Mother?" Feather asked. He could feel the question arise in Makoto and the other two as well.

For a moment, there was no answer, then Shisome replied.

"We must make sure that none of them get to this room, Feather. In a few moments, I will give the order to attack, and I want you to guard that door. Do not any humans pass, is that understood?"

"Yes Mother, I understand." Feather replied.

"Good. Now, go make sure the ship's door is open; we don't need to attack if we can't get in."

Feather crawled quietly back to the ship's door and looked. The door hadn't closed, thankfully, so the others could get in easily. In the bushes outside, he could see Makoto raise his head up, and nod to him that they were ready.

"Attack!" Shisome's voice rang in all their heads.


	10. An Attack and an Ally

**Disclaimer-Don't own Alien(s).**

Starting Over

Part 10

An Attack and an Ally

The Xenos moved as one entity into the ship. They were quiet, however, for they didn't want the humans getting to their stores of weapons. The five men were still at the table, completely unaware of the Xenomorphs' presence in their ship.

Walking on the ceiling, the two younger ones hurried into the room with the men, who started screaming and running to the weapons room. Only two of them came out, and gunshots could be heard from inside. Makoto hoped that the two young ones were doing all right; they'd never fought humans before. Feather was waiting for the two who had run, holding onto the ceiling. Quickly he jabbed out with his tail, getting one of them. The other one pulled out a gun and began shooting at the Runner as his comrade lay unconscious at his feet. Almost all the bullets missed him, except for one which grazed his shoulder, making him shriek out in rage and pain. Raising one clawed hand, he prepared to strike.

"No! We need him as a host!" Shisome reminded him sternly. Feather growled and dropped to the ground, ready to do battle.

"Feather, take care of this one, will you? I'm going to get the girl." Makoto said, running past him and deeper into the ship.

"How do you know about her?" Feather yelled after the rapidly sprinting Praetorian.

"You're not the only one the Queen speaks to, you know." Makoto said over his shoulder. "Now hurry up and finish these two and get the others to help you drag them home. We already have the first one in resin back at the hive." the Praetorian commanded as he eventually faded from vies.

"Right." Feather said, and continued with what he was doing.

Meanwhile, the younger male and female were in the room with the three humans who either couldn't or didn't want to run like the other two. They were standing with their backs against the far wall, with the large table in front of them like a shield. The two siblings were on the ceiling, trying to dodge the shots fired by the humans.

"Move, quickly!" the male said, pushing his sister out of the way just in time. A bullet made contact with the Xenos' side, causing some damage, but nothing fatal, due to the creatures' hard skin.

"Brother!" the female cried, as her sibling cried out in pain. The wound wasn't fatal, but it caused him a great deal of pain, and he fell from the ceiling to land in a crouching position on the floor a few feet away from where the humans were busy inching their way toward the door.

"No you don't!" the female hissed. Quickly she ran over and got two of them on the ground at once. Her weight, although not as much as her brother's, was more than enough to pin the two humans down. She used her tail to render them unconscious, then turned to the third, who was the one who shot her brother.

Though she wanted to kill this one, she remembered that her mother wanted them alive, and so she grabbed him and gave him a dose of venom from her tail instead. "No matter; you'll get what's coming to you in time." She hissed, even though the human couldn't understand her.

When the there were unconscious, the female went over to her brother to see how he was faring. He was doing all right, though clearly in pain. "Brother…are you all right?" she asked quietly.

"I'm fine, my sister. Come; let's get to work getting them back to the hive." he said and tried to stand up.

"Wait a few minutes, you're hurt. They'll be out for awhile, so you can rest here. Let me look at your wound…"

The female moved to her brothers' side, all the while being careful not to move him too much. The wound was a not to deep, but still could become seriously infected if the bullet wasn't removed. Being as gentle as she could, she reached down and removed the offending shell from her brother. He gave a cry of pain and then breathed a sigh of relief. He felt a lot better not that the thing was out. His sister gently nuzzled him and rumbled in a comforting way, and he soon rose to his feet again. The bleeding had stopped, and there was a large hole in the middle of the floor from his blood. The smell of melting metal was everywhere, bring a snarl out of the two.

"Come on, grab one of them, I'll get another. Let's hurry; there are still the two that Feather is dealing with, and that girl that Makoto's going after; Mother told me about that a few minutes ago. We've got to get these to the hive and then come back and get the others." The male said, going over to where the humans were laying behind their makeshift shield. Grabbing one, he tossed him over his shoulder and began to leave. His sister followed his example and grabbed another one. The two set out as fast as they could with the extra weight on their shoulders.

"I'll lend a hand as soon as I get done with my two." Feather said from the doorway, making the other two jump. He was carrying two at once, showing that even with his smaller size, he was very strong.

"Very well; let's concentrate on doing this now, and we'll come back for the rest when we're done." The female said. The three of them set out for home together.

_Meanwhile…_

Makoto concentrated and found that the girl was busy in the ship's kitchen. Quietly, he walked away from the fray between Feather and the humans and set out to get the girl.

She was standing there, cooking something on the stove. Makoto's lips curled up at the smell of cooking meat. _"What a waste of good meat, heating it over a fire."_ Makoto thought to himself. Slowly, he crept up behind her. He didn't want to frighten her more than he had to, so was very quiet. He arched his tail over his back, and readied himself to deliver the paralyzing venom. The tip of his tail was two inches from the back of her neck and he was about to strike, when she suddenly turned around.

"AAAAAAAUGH!" She screamed when she saw the large male standing a foot away from her. Makoto sighed; so much for doing this quickly and quietly. In less than a second, his tail struck out and delivered its venom to the girl's shoulder. She took a step back, and her large green eyes began to close. She wobbled on her feet for a moment, before succumbing completely to the venom's effects. Makoto caught her before she could fall and hit her head on the edge of a nearby counter.

He held her small body, being careful of his sharp claws. She looked as though she hadn't been fed properly in awhile, and hadn't slept much, either. "What did they do to her? And what is she doing with them in the first place?" the Praetorian thought to himself.

Feather came up behind him and looked over his shoulder at the young girl in his arms. "That's the girl from earlier; I didn't think you'd get her so fast. Anyway, the others are taken care of and our hive mates have begun to take them home."

Makoto nodded and the two turned to go. The girl was not even close to waking up, so they didn't have to worry about that. Getting up to a fast trot, they were soon in sight of the hive's entrance. They could see the marks on the ground where the other humans had been dragged into the hive's maze of tunnels and chambers.

The two males walked into the Queen's chamber, where Shisome had already laid three eggs. Makoto gently held the girl against the wall and secreted the resin to hold her in place. She was very light, and Makoto decided that, if this one was permitted to live, he would make sure she ate enough to get healthy again.

The two younger ones soon could be heard inside the hive as well. Apparently they had already gotten their humans inside the hive and were now coming to get the eggs.

"Mission accomplished, Mother." The female said. "All seven-uh, eight-of them are in resin now. We'll begin placing the eggs in front of them now, with your permission."

"Yes, go ahead, all of them except the girl; at least until further notice. Shisome said. "Then, I think it's high time I gave you names." She finished.

The female gave a Xeno smile and swished her long tail happily. "R-really, Mother? You'll name us?" she asked.

"Of course. Now, go; help your younger siblings come into the world. The one from the first human is already out and going through his metamorphosis. He'll soon be able to become a full member of the hive. They'll need food soon enough, so be prepared to go out and hunt." She said.

They nodded and went over to get the eggs. The female took two eggs, and the male took one. They disappeared into the tunnels to where the hosts were cocooned on the walls.

Shisome then set to the task of laying more eggs for the other hosts. While she was busy doing this, Makoto walked over to the human girl and examined her. She was sleeping soundly, which would probably do her some good.

The Praetorian, having nothing to do at the moment, curled up on the ground and waited for the girl to wake up.

"Do you think she'll want to stay with us, Shisome?" Makoto asked after awhile.

"I think so. It won't be an easy life for her at first, but surely it's better than living with those others. I think that she will want to stay with us, for the protection, if nothing else. She knows things about the humans that we don't know, and need to know. She can teach us things and possibly help us if others come to the planet. I think we may have just gained a very valuable ally."


	11. Choices

**Disclaimer-I don't own Alien(s).**

**Wells, I'm back from my vacation! Time to continue the ongoing saga of Shisome and Makoto and their hive! A big thanks goes to LoveHopes for her help with this chapter. Well, on with the story!**

Starting Over

Part 11

**Choices**

Adelicia began to awaken from the most horrible nightmare she had ever had; and that was saying something. She had dreamt that she had been attacked by an absolutely huge Xenomorph. Now she'd wake up on her small cot in her small, shabby room, to another day of being verbally and, sometimes, physically abused by the group of thieves she'd been traveling with for almost a year. She was now thinking that being killed by a Xeno wasn't such a bad thing after all.

She had grown up in poverty in the slums of London on Earth. Her parents had been very poor, but they had loved her and her nine siblings equally. They didn't have much in those days, but they were happy as long as they were together. They'd all lived an abandoned apartment building with about twenty other families, but everyone in the building knew each other and were friendly with one another.

She had gone to a small high school in the inner city, and every day she had studied hard in the hopes that she would get into a good college and help her family. Everything had changed the day when some of the local thugs decided to start a gang war. It had been the weekend, and her family had gone to the small park nearby to have some time together. She had gone to the store to get some snacks for everyone, but had gotten caught in the large crowds on the street. By the time she got to the convenience store, she saw it on the news.

The thugs had had a huge shootout in the park, and every member of her family had been killed in the crossfire. Because of the kind of neighborhood she lived in, police and ambulances tended to take their time in getting there, so there was no chance that any of her family could be saved. Hers was not the only family to lose members; several others were in the park that day, and she felt bad for each one of them, but none so much as her own.

After that, she had returned to her home and packed a few things. She had been eighteen at the time, and out of school, so there was really no reason to stay. Life on her own was hard, and it was very hard to get a job. Most of the employment opportunities for her involved prostitution, and she'd rather die than become a prostitute. Finally, she was forced to take a job as a cook on a what she thought was a freight ship. It turned out that the ship actually belonged to a group of thieves, with which she'd traveling since then.

Though she was treated horribly by the men, she had no other choice than to stay on with them. If she left, she'd either be hunted down by these men or by the numerous police and bounty hunters that were after them. She'd been yelled at, insulted, smacked around, treated like a slave, and humiliated, but thankfully she hadn't been raped…not yet anyway. It was probably going to happen sooner or later, though, judging by the way the men were looking at her of late. During her travels, she had seen many horrible acts and illegal activities. She had given up hope of any kind of life other than that one some time ago.

All these things filled her head as she waited to wake fully to another day of what she was sure hell must be like. She had been thinking lately that if she died, she'd at least be able to see her family again…at least she had that to look forward to.

Opening her eyes slowly, Adelicia began to take in her surroundings, and gasped. The first thing she noticed was that she was not lying down; instead, she was bound standing up, and she felt that there might be a wall behind her.

_"Have the men found some new way to make my life more miserable?"_ she thought to herself.

The next thing she noticed was that it was almost pitch black in the room she was in. she could, however, make out a few things that looked like rocks; in fact, the wall behind her felt like it might be stone. She next felt that what was binding her was not rope, but some hard substance that encased her whole body, like a large cocoon.

What she heard next made her heart start pounding. Somewhere in this room, something was _breathing_, something _big_. Looking around as much as her restraints would let her, she could vaguely make out a very large shape in the far corner of the room. She had no idea what kinds of life forms were on this planet. The place was unexplored and out of the way, which is why the crew had chosen it to hide on, until they were sure it was safe to resume their thievery.

Whatever the huge creature was, it was either asleep or ignoring her. Try as she might, she couldn't even move inside the strange casing that covered her, let alone escape from it. The most she could do was to make a slight creaking noise when she struggled.

_**"Ah, you're awake, human. I'm glad to see that you're unharmed after your ordeal." **_A female voice whispered in her head.

"What's that? Who's there?" she asked, looking around, but all she saw was darkness, and that giant…thing in the corner.

_**"That "thing" is the one talking to you, human. Makoto, release her."**_ This last remark was directed at someone else, and she could hear someone or something stirring somewhere else in the room.

This being-Makoto-walked over to her, but it was too dark, and she couldn't see if it was a human or…something else.

She didn't know what he or she or it did, but in a moment, she was on her knees on the floor, supporting her weight on her hands. Gradually her eyes were becoming accustomed to the darkness, and she was able to make out exactly who Makoto was.

The Xenomorph stood at about eight feet, and was black as midnight. His body was comprised of hard chitin and pure muscle. The creature's head was different than the ones she had seen, this one had a crest somewhat like that of a Queen, but smaller and less elaborate. _"Praetorian, a guard to the Queen."_ She thought of the name from the book. There was no doubt; this was the creature she had dreamt-or thought she dreamt about. She was in the middle of a Xenomorph hive, and there was no escape for her. But why, then, had they released her? And why was she able to hear them?

In school, she had heard that Xenomorphs had the ability to communicate with each other via telepathy. They could also communicate with humans, but this was very rare. Adelicia wondered why they were talking to her if all they were going to do was either eat her or use her to birth one of their young.

_**"Because I don't know if I'm going to do either one of those things to you yet."**_ The female voice-which she was now positive was the Queen-spoke in her head.

_**"Yes, I am speaking to you, human, and I think, or at least I hope, that you can be of some use to us."**_ She said at last. Adelicia was confused.

"Use? What use could I be to you?" she asked out loud.

_**"You know things about humans that we don't. If you can help us, I'll let you live here, but if I ever even think that you're going to betray this hive, I'll have you wrapped in resin with an egg in front of you before you can blink. We've come too far to be taken down by the likes of you, no offense."**_ She didn't raise her voice, but the threat was clear nonetheless.

Not knowing how to respond, Adelicia just nodded and sat down on the floor. "What am I gonna do now?" she said out loud.

_**"First, you're going to tell us what you were doing with those humans. They didn't seem the kind of people a female should be traveling with." **_A deep male voice said in her head. The only other one in here besides her and the Queen was the large Praetorian a few feet away.

_**"Answer the question, child."**_ The Queen said gently.

"I had no choice but to go with them; there was nothing else that I could do to earn money." She said. That was the simplest way of putting it.

_**"I see…"**_ the Praetorian, whose name she now knew was Makoto, said quietly. He had stood up and was walking over to the girl on the floor. She looked up at him and began to tremble violently.

_**"Relax, human; I'm not going to hurt you, I just want a better look at you…"**_ he said as he drew closer. Reaching out a clawed hand, he gently tilted the girl's head up to get a good look at her face. A rumbling sound started in his throat, and it didn't sound threatening…

She was frightened, but she didn't pull away; she was just too overwhelmed by all that had happened lately to do much of anything. That morning, she had been cooking and cleaning as usual, but now she was speaking to a Xenomorph Queen and being practically pawed by a Praetorian! But the big question was, what was going to happen to her now? Would they keep her prisoner there in the hive, or get bored and eat her or use her as a host? Surely they weren't going to let her go?

_**"Oh, you can leave any time you want to; good luck surviving in the forests of this planet alone, though."**_ Makoto said off-handedly. Great; they knew sarcasm!

A scream from deeper inside the hive got all of their attention. Adelicia jumped, but the Xenos didn't seem to be fazed at all.

"What was that? It sounded like…humans." The girl said, then gasped.

"The men…you took them, didn't you?" she whispered.

The Queen, who was still just a silhouette in the darkness, made a noise that reminded Adelicia of a laugh.

_**"Finally figured it out, did you? Yes, we took them, and right about now my children are being born. Why? Did you have some kind of attachment to them?"**_ the Queen asked, and the Praetorian turned to her as if seeking an answer.

"Well…no. No, I have no attachment to any of them. But I just wish that I didn't have to know about this. They might be cruel, but they are still human beings." The girl said, almost to herself.

_**"Believe it or not, I do understand. They are your kind, after all."**_ The Praetorian said. He then changed the subject.

_**"Since you're going to be living here, you should meet the rest of the hive, starting with my Queen…well, she's your Queen now, too, I suppose."**_ Makoto said.

"My…Queen?" Adelicia asked, confused.

_**"Yes, if you're going to live here, you will be expected to obey the Queen like any member of this hive. Her will is your will; her whim is your command. Disobedience will not be tolerated; step out of line and you will be punished, is that understood?" **_Makoto said sternly.

"I…yes…I understand. I guess I have no choice in this matter, right?"

_**"Oh, you have plenty of choices. You can stay here, go out and try to live by yourself, or we can just kill you right here and now, if you prefer. All these options are yours, Adelicia, although, good sense should tell you that you stand a good chance of having a good life here. It may not be what you're used to, but you'll grow accustomed to it in time. We'll leave the decision up to you." **_With this, the Praetorian turned and walked over to his Queen.

_"Well, Adelicia, you've really stepped in it this time." _She thought to herself. Taking a deep breath, she began to think. The chances of her surviving on her own on this planet were slim at best, and she didn't know how to fly the ship out of here, and the Xenos probably would kill her before she could even get to the ship. There was no other choice, she had to stay. Adelicia would have to become a member of this hive.


	12. Names

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 12

**Names**

**_"Well, now that that's settled, let's get down to naming my children."_** Shisome said. She telepathically called them to her, while Adelicia watched. The girl still hadn't seen her new Queen yet, and was still sitting against the far wall.

"**_Come here, child._**" Shisome said gently. Adelicia looked up sharply.

"Wha-what?" she asked.

**_"Come here; I want to get a good look at the newest member of my hive."_** the Queen said again.

Adelicia got up slowly and began to walk over to the huge Xeno. Even though she had been invited to live here, the thought of getting so close to a fully grown Xenomorph Queen made her very nervous.

**_"Don't be; I'm not going to hurt you, I have no reason to."_** Shisome said.

Walking over to the large shape in the corner, Adelicia looked up at the huge female before her.

In her biology books, she had seen a picture of a Xenomorph Queen once. The information below the photo said that the creatures were twenty feet tall and at least that long. The book had said that they were more vicious than any other type of Xeno, and had the size to back it up.

Now she gazed upon the creature that was described as being akin to a demon of hell. The Queen looked down at her and cocked her crested head, then bent over as much as she could with her enormous egg sac to get a better look at the small human girl.

**_"You're so…small compared to me…"_** Shisome said.

"Yeah, I guess I am…" the girl replied.

**_"I can remember actually sitting in my host's lap like a pet…it was nice."_**

"How…how is that possible? I thought that your victim-"

**_"Host."_**

"I thought that your host died after your species are born."

**_"Normally they do, but I was removed before she could be harmed."_** Shisome said. The way she said it, it didn't sound like too big of a deal.

"May I ask who…?" Adelicia asked. She probably wouldn't recognize any names, but she had an almost morbid urge to know who could have lived after something like that.

**_"Her name is Kurai Blackwood, and she's the one who brought Makoto and I to this planet."_**

"D-did you say…Kurai Blackwood?" Adelicia asked. The stunned look on her face intrigued the Queen.

_**"Yes, is she well-known?"**_

"Well-known? Her family is famous the world over! She has more money than most people can imagine. My father used to work for one of their family's many, many companies."

**_"Really? I had no idea that she was so famous. I did know that she had a lot of resources at her disposal, but I had no idea that she was so renowned."_**

"I never knew that someone like her could be involved in something like this…amazing…" Adelicia said in awe.

**_"Anyway, my children are here and they need to be named."_** Shisome said.

And indeed; there were several Xenomorphs in the room now. Feather had come, along with the blue female, the male that had been wounded, the first one born of a human host, and the other six, which were just chestbursters now. These little ones would have to wait awhile before being named.

**_"Children, this is Adelicia; she will be living with us from now on. You are to treat her well, is that clear?"_**

**_"Yes, Mother."_** a multitude of voices answered.

**_"Good, now I think that you've waited long enough; it's time I named you."_**

There were happy hisses from the older ones, and Adelicia jumped when she heard. Shisome gave a small laugh; the girl would learn the different kinds of hisses.

**_"Now, let's begin. You are the first to be born-"_** this was directed at the male **_"So you will be named first. The actions you took to protect your sister impressed me greatly. I have decided to name you Valiant. Your courage is very admirable, and I don't think that this will be your last brave act."_**

The newly-dubbed Valiant gave a little purr of pleasure at his new name, and Shisome turned her attention to the female.

**_"You, you are my first daughter. You helped your brother when he was wounded. You showed great concern for a member of your hive. I'm afraid, however, that I cannot think of a name for you at this time…"_** Shisome sounded sad.

"What about…Lee?" Adelicia suggested.

**_"What does it mean?"_** Shisome asked curiously.

"It means "healer"; from what you said, it sort of makes sense." Adelicia said.

**_"I like it!"_** the female said.

**_"Very well; your name is Lee. Nice save there, human. Now, on to you."_** She looked at the third Xenomorph, the one who had come from the human.

_**"I will be happy with any name you give me, Mother."**_ The Drone said quietly.

**_"Besides, I have done nothing worthy of such a meaningful name."_**

**_"Let's see…you're the first one of us born of a human host…that's special, but a name…"_** Shisome contemplated out loud.

**_"It's fine, Mother; I can wait. Please, there are far more important things to worry about than my name. It's a trivial matter. When you think of a name, let me know and I'll accept it."_** With this, lowered his head and was quiet.

Shisome couldn't help but feel bad, but there was nothing to be done about it at the moment. She was sure that he would earn himself a fine name soon enough. Sighing, she turned to Adelicia.

**_"Now that that's done, you should get settled in. I know that you require some basic things to be comfortable, and I assume that those things are on your ship. It's too late to go out now, but tomorrow you can take one of my children and go to get your things. Normally, all of my children sleep in one room, but I know that humans like to have their own rooms, so I'll have Lee go with you to pick out a good one. There are plenty of small rooms to choose from. I suggest sleeping with the others tonight, seeing as how you don't have a blanket to keep you warm."_**

Adelicia listened to all of this quietly. This just didn't seem real to her. First she was taken from her horrible life by Xenomorphs of all things, then she was allowed to join them. Now she finds out that Kurai Blackwood, a person who was so far above her in status that it made her head spin, was behind the Xenos being there in the first time. It was like a strange, wonderful dream.

**_"Come along; I'll find you a good place to lie down. You have to get there quick or you're stuck in the very middle of the room; it's warmer, but you'll end up stepping on someone if you need to use the toilet in the middle of the night."_** The female said cheerfully.

Adelicia followed her, noticing that the rest of the Xenomorphs were following them.

They went into a large room, where the rest of them began to find comfortable places on the stone floor. Makoto walked in and went over to her, and the others backed up a little.

_"He must be pretty important."_ Adelicia thought to herself.

"**_I wouldn't say that, but I am a little higher in rank than the rest of them."_** Makoto said.

"Why is that?" the human asked.

**_"I am a guard to our Queen; so I am higher in rank. It goes without saying that I have certain privileges." The Praetorian explained._**

"Such as?"

**_"I get to eat first, I get to make critical decisions, I get to command Drones, and I can lead hunting parties."_** Makoto told her. He sounded pretty proud of himself.

"Well I'm not impressed, good night." The girl said shortly. Walking over to Lee, the two of them went over the far side of the room. Adelicia waited for the larger female to lay down and make herself comfortable before getting down on the floor, laying her head on the Xeno, who didn't seem to mind. It really was warmer next to the female. The rest of them-including the chestbursters-settled in for the night. Makoto was left standing there, wondering what had just happened.

**_"Smooth."_** Shisome said in the Praetorian's head. He gave a small hiss and went over to find a place to sleep.


	13. Setting Out

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

Starting Over

Part 12

**Setting Out**

The next morning, Adelicia woke up to find that the Xenos were already up and around. Yawning, she got to her feet and began to get around.

"_**Good morning, human; will you be ready to go get your things from your ship soon?"**_ came a voice from the doorway. Makoto stood there, looking refreshed from a good night's sleep.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much ready now. Who's taking me?" she asked.

_**"I am. I asked it of our Queen and she has allowed me to escort you."**_

"Oh, whyyyyyy?" she whined. "Didn't you get the hint last night? I don't _like_ people who brag about positions and status, okay?"

_**"I figured that one out, actually…but I do want to try again…properly. Would you allow this?"**_ Makoto asked hopefully. The Praetorian didn't know why this human was making him feel this way, but it was far from an unpleasant situation. He had spent some time mulling it over, and decided that this must be the way Ko felt for Kurai.

"I suppose…if you agree to stop with the bragging, I'll…I'll give you a chance. Now, let's go; I need to get my stuff." Adelicia said. Why had she just said that? Makoto was a Xenomorph, for God's sake!

_**"But still…he's treated me a lot better than the ship's crew did... Yeah, I'll give him a shot; maybe he'll turn out to be my true love or something."**_ She thought to herself, then remembered that Makoto and his kind could read thoughts.

Makoto stood there, tail swishing happily at the thought of a second chance.

_"She's going to let me try again…maybe I'll get it right this time."_ Makoto thought happily. _"Have to do this right this time; no bragging, no trying to impress her, just be humble and stay quiet."_ He told himself. He'd never forgive himself if he ruined this.

_**"Well, let's be off; there are many things to do today."**_ Makoto said.

"Okay. Hey, Makoto, I have to ask you something."

_**"What's that?"**_

"Kurai Blackwood, what's she like? I mean, is she nice, or is she snobbish?" Adelicia asked. She had always wondered how the "other half" lived, and if they were like the rest of society.

_**"Actually, she's a very good person. She rescued my Queen and myself, she brought us here, and she served as a host for Shisome, even knowing what would happen if something went wrong. She doesn't flaunt her money, the way other humans do. I consider her a personal friend. You'll get to meet her; she told us that she'd come visit as soon as she was able too."**_

"Meet? Oh, no! Someone like me could never meet someone like her! She's too far above my social status to consort with me." The girl said.

_**"Kurai's not like that! In fact, her best friend has far less than she does, and the two of them are as close as siblings." **_

"Really? I had no idea; every rich person I ever met has acted like I smelled bad or something. Anyway, let's go; we're burning daylight." With this, she headed toward the entrance to the cave.

The two of them walked out into the light, with Adelicia blinking in the brightness. The morning on Pluvia was beautiful; the air was clean, unlike the smoggy haze over most of the places she'd been. The sounds of exotic birds and animals could be heard, and a hundred shades of green, along with hundreds of colors of flowers, made up the jungle around them.

The Praetorian led the way and the human eagerly followed. The girl began to wonder what her life was going to be like from now on; there would be no more...?

_"No more what? No more cooking and cleaning, no being bullied by the crew, no more fear of being violated, no more living in fear of being shot by bounty hunters or police…"_ Sure, she wouldn't have the benefits of technology, but it was more than worth it! The list of positives kept growing as she thought.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

"Makoto, I know that you used the crew as hosts, but I have to know, what did you…I mean did you eat…?"

_**"No; we never eat our hosts. The bodies-"**_he looked at the expression on her face before continuing. _**"were carried away last night."**_ The girl really didn't seem too bothered by the information.

"Oh." Was all she said. The two of them continued walking.

It was about fifteen minutes before they arrived at the ship. The place was just as it had been when Adelicia was taken. The large door was closed; it did that if no one bothered it for more than an hour, so there was little risk of there being some animal inside. The crates were still stacked neatly outside, and it was these that got Adelicia's attention first.

_**"I know; I want to know what's inside them, too."**_ Makoto said.

"Do…do you think we should open them?" she asked her escort.

_**"Who's stopping you? I don't see any of the crew around, do you?"**_he asked.

"No; no I don't! I've always been told not to touch the valuables, or the ship's computer, or the weapons… The only thing I was allowed to do was cook and clean." She told him.

_**"Well, they're not here now; you can pretty much do whatever you want now."**_ Makoto said.

"Yeah, and I want to see what they were so intent on hiding!" she said determinedly.

Walking over to the large pile, she found a crate that was sitting on the ground. Looking around, she saw a crowbar on the ground. Picking the tool up, she positioned the crowbar under the lid of the crate and lifted. A loud snap signaled the opening of the crate. Adelicia half expected to be screamed at for daring to open a crate, but when nothing happened, she proceeded to lift the lid off and set it on the ground. Makoto, unable to resist the natural Xenomorph curiosity, came over to look over the girl's shoulder.

Looking inside the crate, the two gasped and hissed at what they saw.


	14. Wounds and Worries

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 14

**Wounds and Worries**

_**"GET BACK!" **_Makoto cried as the facehugger leapt out of the open egg in the crate. Shoving the human out of the way, he caught the creature in midair. The whole thing happened in less than two seconds.

Adelicia watched as the huge Praetorian held the facehugger, which was struggling violently in his grip. At last, Makoto got a good enough hold on the thing to tear it apart. Acidic blood spewed from the dead hugger and made the ground around them sizzle and melt. Makoto threw the dead thing to one side to check on Adelicia, and gave a worried little cry.

The human was curled up on the ground, holding one arm against her chest. Tears were flowing from her eyes, wetting the ground. Getting closer, Makoto saw the reason for her behavior.

Some of the acidic blood had landed on the girl's arm, which she had held up to protect her face from the hugger. Makoto couldn't see the extent of the damage, but at the very least her arm wasn't melting away…

_**"Let me see it…"**_ Makoto said gently. Adelicia composed herself enough to let him look at her wounded arm. Makoto gently took her arm and examined it. The damage wasn't as bad as he'd thought; only a couple of drops of the blood had gotten on her skin, but it was still very painful for her.

_**"Adelicia…"**_ Makoto said quietly.

"Is…is th-there anything t-to make it st-stop hurting?" she whimpered.

_**"Do you have anything on your ship? Any medicine or even cold water would help." **_

"Y-yeah, there's a m-medical bay in the ship. The d-door will open if you p-put the code in." she told him.

_**"Very well, come on then."**_ He gently picked her up, being careful of her arm, and began walking over to the ship's large door. Adelicia gave him the code and he put it in, remembering a time when he had related a code to Kurai. At last, the door opened and the Xenomorph gently carried his human companion up the ramp and into the interior of the ship.

_**"Which way is this medical bay?"**_ Makoto asked. He didn't like being surrounded by so much metal and human technology. He much preferred a dark, resin-covered hive or a forest.

"Keep going straight and turn left, there's a big door that'll slide open for you, that's the medical bay." She directed him. She had never known that she could be in this kind of pain before. Sure, she'd been smacked around a little, but this! Looking down at her arm, she saw that there burning wounds there. The angry red burns throbbed painfully, making more tears flow from her already swollen eyes.

Makoto followed the directions and soon they were at the door of the medical bay. The door opened to reveal a large white room with a couple of tables and some beds. Large cabinets in the corner contained a large stock of medicine, which was what they needed now. Makoto sat the little female down and allowed her to go to one of the cabinets.

Adelicia opened the doors with her good arm, the other one just hurt too much. Looking over the medicine, she found one that was good for treating burns, and some good antibiotics. If one good thing could be said for the ship's former crew, it was that they kept their medical bay well-stocked. They had too; they never knew if they were going to be wounded on their next raid.

Going over to another cabinet, she took out a roll of bandages and some gauze. She walked over to a table and sat down to began dressing the wound. First she held her arm under the sink in the table to clean the wound, then she carefully dried the spot and began to apply the burn ointment and the antibiotics. After this, she bandaged her arm and applied the gauze.

All this time, Makoto had been watching the human tend to her wound in fascination. Humans had to use all kinds of chemicals to heal themselves, but his kind began healing almost immediately after being wounded.

When she was done she stood, her arm already feeling the effects of the medicine. Walking back over to the cabinets, she grabbed a bottle of painkillers and took one for the remaining pain. The pills must have been pretty strong, because she began feeling the pain in her arm go away within five minutes of taking them.

_**"Are you all right now?"**_ Makoto asked. He was surprised that he was so worried about her; he'd only just met her a few hours ago!

"Yes; I'm all right, but there's a big question to be answered here. What were Xeno eggs doing here? I mean, why did the crew have them? And where did they get them?"

_**"I don't know, and I don't want to."**_ Makoto answered.

"Why did you kill that facehugger, Makoto? It was a Xenomorph, right?" Adelicia asked, confused.

_**"Indeed it was, but it wasn't one of our hive, which is why I didn't sense its presence like I normally would. That's why it had to be killed; we can ill afford another hive competing for resources."**_ The Praetorian explained.

"You mean that hives don't get along?" Adelicia asked.

_**"Of course not! Even hives that are related don't get along!" **_

"Related hives?" Adelicia asked, this was getting interesting.

_**"Yes. For example; if Shisome sent a Queen egg to another part of the planet, that Queen would begin a new hive. Our two hives would be related, and we probably wouldn't have an all-out war if we were to meet, but we wouldn't join together or anything." **_He explained this the best he could. The fact was that a Queen egg was usually only created in the event of the previous Queen's impending death, so a meeting between related hives almost never happened. Usually an egg created by a healthy Queen would be put onto a human ship to begin a hive on a new world.

"So, why wouldn't you get along, again?" Adelicia asked.

_**"Each hive has it's own Queen, you know this?"**_ Makoto asked.

"Yeah, so?"

_**"Well, two hives means two Queens. Each hive would have its own Queen, and each Queen's offspring would have allegiance only to their own mother. Nothing would get done if the two were to join, and a hive of that size would make the land barren in a matter of weeks. That's why we don't join hives."**_ Makoto explained.

"Oh, I get it now! Okay, that makes sense." Adelicia said. It made sense, but it was kind of sad.

_**"All right, let's do what we came here to do. What do you need to get from here?"**_ Makoto asked. He was curious to know exactly what humans needed to make their lives comfortable. It seemed to him as though their lives were ruled by possessions.

"First, I want to ask you something." The human stated. "Do you think that any more of those crates have Xeno eggs in them? You said that you couldn't sense those not of your hive, so we won't know unless we look, right?"

Makoto, who had been headed out the door, stopped dead in his tracks. She was right; he couldn't sense it if there were more eggs. They would have to examine every single crate outside to be sure that there were no more.

"Oh, no! I just thought of something!" the girl cried.

_**"What, what is it?"**_ Makoto asked, walking over to the human.

"The crates outside…they were only about half of the ones the crew stole! The rest of them are in the cargo hold! If I remember correctly, the men got about thirty crates from their last raid, and they unloaded about half, and we opened one, so that's fourteen outside. There are still fifteen unopened crates in the cargo hold!" she sounded very worried. One facehugger was enough to start an entirely new hive, so twenty nine more…

_**"All right, listen to me!"**_ Makoto said, taking her face in his huge hands, he resisted the urge to explore her more.

"Our eggs don't open unless a host is near, that's why that egg hatched when you opened the crate; you were bending over to look at what was inside. If I go get my hive-mates, we can search the crates without having to worry. We're not potential hosts, so even if we open the crates, the eggs will stay dormant, understand?"

"Yeah, all right…so what do we do?" the human asked. She sounded frightened, and Makoto had a fierce urge to protect her.

_**"I'm sorry, but getting your things will have to wait awhile, this is more important. Do you think you can stand a few more hours without your possessions?"**_ the Xeno asked.

"Of course, let's get back; I don't want to spend another minute here until we get this taken care of." Adelicia said.

Makoto nodded and gently picked Adelicia up. She seemed a little nervous at first, but once they got out of the ship and away from the large pile of crates, she calmed down. The Praetorian ran as quickly as he could back to the hive, making sure that the small human didn't get hit by tree branches or vines. There was an important task at hand, one which could save the hive if accomplished, or destroy it if left undone.


	15. Egg Hunt

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 15

**Egg Hunt**

Makoto didn't let Adelicia down until they were standing in Shisome's chamber. Even before the Praetorian spoke, his Queen knew that something was wrong.

"Makoto, what's wrong? I thought you were going to get Adelicia's things." The Queen said curiously.

"Shisome, there's something you need to know…" He then proceeded to tell his Queen about what happened at the ship. She listened quietly while Makoto spoke, and her crested head perked up when she heard about the possibly of there being more Xeno eggs in the rest of the crates.

"What do you suggest we do, Makoto?" Shisome asked. She was a young Queen, and Makoto had more experience with decision-making than she did.

"I could take a few Drones and go to the ship with Adelicia. She will stand back while we inspect the crates and kill any eggs we find. After that, Adelicia can get her things and we'll come back here and the whole thing can be over and done with. Is that acceptable, my Queen?"

"Yes, that sounds like a fine idea. Take a few Drones and Adelicia and go, but be careful!" With this, Shisome called five Drones to her. The five of them were all from human hosts, and the Drone that Shisome wasn't able to name earlier."

The Drones listened while Makoto told them about the mission at hand. It took about five minutes, after which everyone was briefed and they set out for the ship. Makoto picked up Adelicia, who by this time was getting used to the idea, and they were off at top speed.

In less than ten minutes, the Xenomorphs were at the ship and looking around the crates. Though they couldn't sense the eggs, they could smell them, and it was this task that began to occupy them. They gathered around the crates, putting their heads close to them, when one was deemed safe, moved on to the next one. Adelicia walked over and examined the crate that still had the egg open in it.

"_**Be careful around those crates, Adelicia."**_ Makoto said warily.

The girl looked at the crate; it looked just like all the others, but it, like the others, had a different logo on it. The logo was a design of an unfolded Oriental fan. Adelicia could have sworn that she saw that logo somewhere… She read the name of the company and let out a little gasp.

"I…I can't believe it…" She whispered. Makoto came over to stand by her.

"_**What's wrong? What's so unbelievable?"**_ he asked curiously.

"This logo…I just remembered whose it is." She stammered.

"…_**And?"**_ Makoto said.

"The logo is…well…it's the crest of…of the Yamamoto family!"

"_**Yamamoto? I heard that name before…"**_

"I'm sure you have…"Yamamoto" is Kurai Blackwood's maternal family name. Makoto, Kurai's family owned those eggs!"

Makoto took a step back in shock. It couldn't be! Could Kurai's family be doing experiments on his species? Could they have had some hand in his and Shisome's capture? Perhaps even in the destruction of his hive and the murder of his mother? No! Surely not! Hoshi didn't seem the type to have a hand in something like that…

_**"Makoto, we have searched these crates, none of them have eggs in them."**_ One of the unnamed Drones spoke up.

Adelicia looked at the large stack of crates. None of them had the Yamamoto crest on them, in fact, most of them were companies who dealt in computer technology.

"Okay, let's go to the cargo hold. There's more crates in there." Adelicia said. The Xenos followed her into the cargo hold, where she was forbidden to go before now. Switching on the lights, she saw that luckily there were only the crates that she told Makoto about, and nothing else.

They went over to the stack and the Xenos began to inspect those. Adelicia thought that there surely wouldn't be any more eggs, until one of the Drones began viciously tearing at one of the crates.

The Drone succeeded in ripping the lid from the crate and proceeded to tear the egg to pieces, spraying acidic blood everywhere, Makoto got in front of Adelicia to shield her from the spray, which melted metal and began to disintegrate the metal floors.

The others began to search more frantically now, and in ten minutes they turned up and destroyed three more eggs. When they were satisfied that there were no more, they left the cargo hold, with the smell burning metal thick in the air.

_**"Spread out; search the ship and see if you can smell any other eggs. If you do find any, destroy them! Adelicia, let's go get your things."**_ Makoto said.

Adelicia showed him the way to her room, which was little more than a large broom closet with an old camp cot inside. On the bed was a faded blue quilt that had been made by her grandmother and given to her mother her wedding day. There were stains on it from one time when the crew's leader had used it to mop up a spill. It had taken three washes to get the thing clean.

She didn't have many possessions, and it only took one duffel bag to hold all her clothes, her blanket, and a few other items.

Makoto watched the human girl pack her few possessions into a bag. The Praetorian couldn't help but feel a little sad at this. He had expected Adelicia to have quite a few possessions, like Kurai, but everything she owned was in this one small room. When she was finished, she looked at Makoto with a little smirk on her face.

"Makoto, would you mind if I…took a look around the ship? I've never really been allowed to move around freely…" she asked hopefully.

"_**Very well; you should look for useful things around this ship, it's not like the rest of the humans will be using them anymore." **_He said.

"Do you mean that I should steal things?" Adelicia asked.

"_**It's not stealing, Adelicia, it's more like…taking advantage of the situation."**_ Makoto said.

"Well…I suppose… I mean, I could use a new blanket, or a pillow…" she mused.

"_**See? You've got it! I'm not talking about going home with the whole ship, I just mean that you should get some necessities, that's all. For instance, why not take some clothes? They were pretty well-dressed for thieves, why should you have to dress in rags?"**_ Makoto said.

"Well, I suppose there'd be nothing wrong with it…" Adelicia mused.

"We'll come back tomorrow, you can look around then." Makoto said. _**"Now, we need to get back and tell Shisome what we've found." **_Makoto said.

Adelicia slung her bag over her shoulder and headed to the door. Makoto once again picked her up and proceeded to lead the rest of the Drones in the direction of the hive.


	16. Settling In

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 16

**Settling In**

_**"So you took care of it?"**_ Shisome asked when they were back in her chamber.

_**"Yes; we searched the entire ship and found no trace of any more eggs. The ones we did find were killed immediately."**_ Makoto said.

_**"Good. Now that that's settled-"**_ Shisome began.

_**"Actually, it's not settled, my Queen."**_ Makoto said, then proceeded to tell Shisome about what they had found back at the ship. Shisome listened quietly to this, tensing up when Makoto got to the part about Kurai's family having some possible involvement in the whole situation.

_**"It can't be true… It just can't be true…"**_ Shisome whispered to herself. How could Kurai possibly be involved in this? She had met Hoshi, and neither he nor Kurai seemed like the kind of people who would have a hand in something such as this.

_**"What if…what if it's true?"**_ Shisome whispered. _**"What if Kurai's family was doing something with those eggs? What if they really did have a hand in Mother's death?"**_

_**"Then…I don't know; I just don't know. There's no way to know until we can talk to Kurai. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt for now. We're probably just being paranoid about this."**_ Makoto reasoned.

"I have an idea, if you want to hear it." Adelicia, who had been quietly standing a little way away said.

_**"What's that?"**_ Shisome asked.

"We can't get in touch with Kurai, right?" Adelicia said. Makoto had told her Kurai's plan to leave with Ko on the way back to the hive and, while she had been shocked at first, thought it was sweet when Makoto had mentioned the way Ko felt for Kurai.

_**"Right, and?"**_ Makoto asked.

"Well, maybe we can get in contact with her grandfather, Hoshi." Adelicia suggested. Makoto looked at her.

_**"And just how would we accomplish that?"**_ he asked.

"The ship has a pretty powerful computer onboard. I bet I could get in touch with Hoshi with enough time and effort. We could ask him what's going on with the eggs. All I need to do is to find the ship's manual to learn how to use the computer." She said.

The two Xenomorphs looked at each other, obviously discussing it amongst themselves, before turning back to the human.

_**"Before anything is decided, let me ask you this, what guarantee do I have that you won't contact some military organization to come to this planet and rescue you?"**_ Shisome asked warily.

"Let me ask you something; what benefit would that be to me? You'll send someone with me anyway, and even if I _did_ try to contact the military, you'd have me killed long before I could be rescued." Adelicia said.

_**"She has a point, Shisome."**_ Makoto said.

_**"Very well, you may go, but take Makoto and another Drone with you. No offense, but I've had my fill of cages and pain from humans. You can go tomorrow, just focus on getting settled in right now."**_Shisome said.

_**"All right; we have a plan of action!"**_ Adelicia said. Makoto noticed that she had changed from being a quiet, sad little thing to a bright and optimistic young woman. What a drastic improvement it was. The ship's crew had probably broken her sprit long ago, and it would take some time to mend. She'd probably take a long time to get over the effects of her ordeal.

Adelicia nodded and picked up her bag, which she had put in the corner of the room when she'd come in, and went off with Lee to find a room. She and the female Xeno had formed kind of a bond, probably because they had similar personalities.

_**"What kind of room would you like to have?"**_ Lee asked as they walked.

"I don't need much; just enough room to put a bed and a place to put my clothes." Adelicia said. Lee couldn't help but feel a little sad at this; the girl just didn't have any…desire.

They walked around for a little while, finally settling on a small chamber with a few outcroppings of rock that would serve as fine shelves. The room led into another one which held a small underground waterfall that emptied into a good-sized pool. Adelicia thought that the caves, when one got used to them, were actually quite beautiful. The hive wasn't yet large enough to where the whole place would be covered with resin, so the caves were in their natural state.

Adelicia neatly folded her clothes and blanket and put them neatly on the shelves, along with her pillow and few other possessions. Lee watched all this with interest; humans just had so many odd habits. Walking into the other room with the pool, the girl put a hand into the water and, finding it pleasantly warm, decided that it would be a great place to bathe. She hadn't had a bath since the day before last and decided that this would be as good a time as any. Grabbing a washcloth and towel, she sat them neatly on the side of the tub, along with a bottle of shampoo and bar of soap.

"Uhm, Lee? Could you…give me some privacy please?" she asked.

_**"Why?"**_ Lee asked curiously.

"Well, I want to take a bath…"

_**"And?"**_ the female asked.

"Well, I'll be..well…naked…"

_**"So? I'm naked, and I don't need privacy to clean myself."**_ Lee said, she sounded a little confused.

"Humans like privacy when they're naked-at least most of them do…most of the time." Adelicia explained. The female cocked her head, then shrugged and turned to leave.

_**"How long do you think you'll be? I want to talk some more."**_ Lee said. She was very interested in this human. Lee thought that she and Adelicia could get along very well, given enough time.

"About ten minutes, and another five to get dressed." The girl said, already heading into the bathroom. She suddenly had a thought and turned around.

"Where do I go to…you know?" she asked.

_**"No, I don't-Oh! Oh, we do that outside."**_ Lee informed her.

_"Even at night?"_ Adelicia asked, shocked.

_**"Of course! We don't use the toilet in our own home; it's disgusting!"**_ the Xeno explained.

"_Really_? Humans have bathrooms in their homes; the…stuff is carried away by water and treated with chemicals, what do you do?" Adelicia asked. Usually she wouldn't ask such things, but she just had a strange urge to know.

_**"We go outside to a private place and dig a hole. When we're done we bury our…leavings."**_ The Xeno explained.

"Hmm… so I guess that's what I'll be doing then?" the girl asked.

_**"Either that or hold it in. We are a very clean species."**_ Lee informed her proudly.

"Good thing I brought toilet paper then. Oh well, it'll be something new, if nothing else. I'll have to remember to get a spade for digging when I go back to the ship…" Adelicia said to herself.

_**"Well, I'll go and let you get on with it."**_ Lee said.

Adelicia waited until Lee was out of the room to walk into her new bathroom and get undressed. Looking down, she sighed as she saw the scars on her body. Though she had been treated pretty badly during her time on the ship, some of the scars were from the three month period between when her family was killed and when she found work on the ship. The wounds were healed, but an insufficient diet and poor medical care had left some very noticeable marks on her body. She sighed and reached for the washcloth she'd brought in a few moments ago and began to clean herself.

It had been about five minutes, and she was in the process of washing her back, when she heard a hiss from behind her.

_**"What happened to you?"**_ Makoto's voice whispered in her head.

Turning, she saw the large Praetorian laying on the floor behind her. Though he didn't have eyes, Adelicia could tell that he was looking at her scars.

"MAKOTO, GET _OUT_!" She cried.

_**"Answer me! What happened? Who did this to you?"**_ he asked.

To the girl's shock, the large male came closer to her and, in one movement, hopped into the pool with her. She couldn't believe what was happening to her now.

Reaching out a clawed hand, Makoto gently touched a particularly long scar on Adelicia's shoulder. She could see that he had his share of wounds, too, and thought that he, too had gone through some tough times.

"Let's just say," she said, "that some people don't treat others too well."

_**"Don't I know it…"**_ Makoto said. He came closer to her, and she held the washcloth up to her chest to hide her body. The Xenomorph gingerly embraced the smaller human, making her tremble a little, but somehow he knew that it wasn't fear that made her do so.

Adelicia felt Makoto's long tail curl around her, the sharp tip gently and carefully brushing her shoulders and neck. She sighed a little with enjoyment at this, while the Praetorian began to make a noise like a large cat purring. The huge male leaned forward and gently began to nip at the human's sensitive neck and, finding that she didn't pull away, kept at it.

The caressing continued for a few more minutes, until Adelicia remembered that Lee was waiting for her. Gently pushing a reluctant Makoto away, she finished bathing and got out of the pool, grabbing the towel and draping it around her, then left the room to get dressed.

Makoto, who had been left standing in the pool alone, was only glad that the water was deep…


	17. New Friends and Disturbing Thoughts

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

Starting Over

Part 17

**New Friends and Disturbing Thoughts**

_"Oh my god...what just happened in there?"_ Adelicia thought while she was getting dressed. In a couple of minutes, Makoto could be heard jumping out of the pool and shaking the water from his body. Walking past her, he gently brushed his tail against her back, making her shiver deliciously.

_**"What was that about?"**_ Lee asked a few minutes later. Adelicia had finished dressing and had called her back into the room. She now sat on the floor, braiding her long hair while the blue female watched.

"What was what about?" the girl asked innocently. Maybe if she pretended not to know anything, the whole issue would just go away.

**"You and Makoto…in the pool? Come on; I could smell your pheromones from here, and his too! I just wonder what would have happened if you two had more time alone…well, I think I know what would have happened."** Lee mused.

"You don't know that for sure… _I_ don't even know that for sure." Adelicia said, looking up from her hair.

_**"He was all over you, and you loved it! Admit it; you liked it! You're afraid to admit it, but you think you might enjoy it with of our kind!"**_ Lee teased.

"Yeah, and that's the problem; Xenomorphs and humans shouldn't do…that…with each other…but, but I…really like Makoto. He's treated me better than most humans...and you're right, by the way."

_**"About what?"**_ Lee asked slyly.

"About me loving it. I know that biologically it makes no sense; we could never have children, and if anyone on Earth ever found out I'd be branded a freak for the rest of my life, but…I don't care. Somehow, things will work themselves out in the end." The girl said. She had finished braiding her hair and had tied it with a faded blue ribbon.

_**"I'm glad you're so optimistic, Adelicia, after all you've been through…" **_

"What do you mean by that?" the human asked.

_**"Oh, no offense! It's just that…well, the whole hive knows about what you've been through before you came to live here. To tell you the truth, I'm amazed you had any hope left after that. I don't know if I could stand it. You have a strong spirit, human."**_ Lee said sincerely.

"Thanks, my mother always taught me that, even if you lose everything, you always have hope. It's true, too; when my family died, all I could do was try to make the best of my life and hope for a good future. I tried not to sit around and feel sorry for myself, because that wouldn't help me any. Now, things are improving, and I really am thankful to you; you, Makoto, Shisome, all of you are letting me stay here, and you make me feel like I'm not alone anymore." She said, standing up and going over to the shelf where her blanket was laying.

_**"You'll always have a family with us, you know that?"**_ Lee said quietly.

"And I'm glad, it's nice to be around people you care for and who care for you." The human said, bringing her blanked over to a small space in the wall of the room that was something like a mini cave. The place was perfect for putting a bed, and it was pleasantly small.

_**"Indeed it is."**_ Lee said quietly.

Adelicia crawled out of the space, dusted herself off, and walked over to Lee.

"So, uhm… when do we eat? Not to sound pushy, but I'm kind of hungry…" she said. She hadn't eaten anything since the morning Makoto had taken her from the ship.

_**"Oh! Well…I'll see if one of the Drones will go catch something for you."**_ Lee said.

"Thank you, Lee. And thanks…for listening to me; I'm glad I found a friend." Adelicia said.

_**"I'm glad I found one, too."**_ Lee said.

The Xenomorph left, leaving the girl standing in her room. She walked over to a wall and sat with her back against it, thinking on how much things had changed in only a little over a day. She had been so miserable; consorting with thugs and criminals, but now… Now she was happy, and she would soon be talking with someone as important as Hoshi Yamamoto! She'd never dreamed she could ever speak with someone so rich and powerful… it was like a dream.

There was one thing that bugged her, though. The Xenomorphs knew Kurai Blackwood, that she knew, and she knew that Blackwood had helped Makoto and Shisome escape, but what of this egg business? Did the Yamamoto family have some interest in using those eggs for military purposes? Adelicia had heard that there were certain science labs that were using Xenomorphs for biological weapons. She had never heard, however, of any of the attempts ending well.

Why, then, would they want eggs of another hive? Shisome could make acquisition of eggs easy, if they ever had a mind to capture her. Did the Yamamotos' want to use this hive for their own purposes? No; as friendly as Makoto and Shisome were with the Yamamotos', Adelicia didn't think that they would take too kindly to being used in such a way.

She thought back to the day when the thieves had stolen that cargo; it _had_ been on a ship headed for some lab… but she had thought it was just some tech that the men would sell on the black market, like most everything else they stole. Would they have stolen those eggs if they had known about them? No; she thought not. They were greedy, but they surely, _surely_ weren't that stupid. The crates were made of wood, which was fine for other things, but not for something as valuable as Xeno eggs. The people shipping them probably wouldn't want to arouse suspicion by having them in large metal boxes. _"Meaning,"_ she thought to herself, _"that they were illegal."_

Xenomorphs, in any stage of their life cycle, were only supposed to be kept by large laboratories and military facilities. The Yamamotos' had their hands in pretty much every kind of business and enterprise imaginable, and it was very possible that the military was one of them, but Adelicia had never heard anything on the subject. The family pretty much infinite wealth, so it wouldn't have been impossible for them to bribe some people…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a female voice in her head.

"Adelicia, it's Shisome; come and get something to eat."

Her mind now n food, the girl stood and walked out of her room and headed for Shisome's chamber.


	18. Fast Food

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 18

**Fast Food**

Adelicia walked into Shisome's chamber to find not a Drone, but Makoto holding some sort of animal in his hands. The creature looked like a rat, but about three times bigger. She had seen animals freshly killed before when visiting a farm with her class long ago; but those had been chickens and pigs, not a rodent. Luckily, Makoto had taken into consideration the possibility of her being squeamish and had simply broken it's neck, as opposed to tearing it open, leaving her with a bloody mess to clean before eating.

The Praetorian handed the rodent-like creature to Adelicia, who was a little mortified to learn that it was still warm, but thankfully not twitching.

_**"Eat; you need your energy."**_ Makoto said.

"O-Okay, but I have to prepare it first…" Adelicia said. Taking the creature outside, she quickly walked back into her room and got a lighter and a field knife she'd gotten from the ship. Taking these things outside with her, Adelicia set to the task of cleaning and cooking the rodent.

_**"What are you doing, Adelicia?"**_ Lee asked, coming to look over her shoulder.

"Preparing this thing to cook it." The girl explained, skinning the creature as best she could. She had no knowledge of how to do this, but decided that it was better than eating it with the fur on. At last, she had cleaned and gutted the rodent to the best of her ability and set to making a fire. As she did this, she realized that she would have been better off leaving the cleaning and gutting for after she got the fire going.

When at last she had gotten a good fire going, she picked up a nearby stick and stuck it into the creature. Holding it over the fire, she resigned herself to build some sort of clay oven or something. Realizing that she was going to be there awhile, she made herself as comfortable as she could.

Luckily, Lee was there to alleviate the boredom. They talked for almost forty five minutes, until Makoto came out of the cave. Walking up to the two females, he gave a hiss of greeting, making Lee look at him and Adelicia jump.

_**"Hello, what are you do-Augh! That smells awful!"**_ He backed away about three feet.

"What? I didn't burn it or anything, did I?" Adelicia asked.

_**"No, no… I'm sorry, I just can't stand the smell of cooked meat. It just seems so…wrong. Can't you smell it, Lee?"**_ Makoto asked, looking at the blue female.

_**"I did at first, but we started talking and I just didn't notice it after that."**_ Lee replied.

_**"I never understood why,"**_ Makoto began, _**"your species took perfectly good meat and held it over a fire until all the flavor goes out of it."**_

"Well, we have to eat it cooked, or else it'll make us sick." Adelicia said.

_**"I know, but I still can't stand the smell."**_ the Praetorian mused.

They all talked for a while more; until the smell of the meat told the human it was ready. She began to eat the creature, hoping dearly that it wouldn't give her food poisoning or some type of tropical disease.

If there was one good thing that had happened to her that day, it was her discovery that this thing, whatever it was, tasted almost like beef. She had never eaten any sort of rodent before, not even rabbit, and found that, the more she thought of it, the less strange it sounded. Many cultures ate things not normally consumed by others; there were natives in other countries who didn't eat chickens, but found grasshoppers to be quite good; she'd just have to learn to get over the taboos of her society.

While she was eating, Makoto and Lee were called back into the hive, presumably by Shisome, and came out a few moments later, accompanied by the Drone who hadn't yet received his name. This seemed strange to Adelicia, because the others had all received their own names.

There were originally seven humans onboard, and six of them had been named so far. They were all males, seeing as how Xenomorphs normally inherited the gender of their hosts. They were named Cloud, Shadow, Leaf, Sky, Wind, and Rain. Shisome had decided to name them after things in nature, and Adelicia had thought that their names were lovely. Makoto, on the other hand, had said that the names weren't very…imposing, and that she should think of giving them more dignified monikers. Shisome had run out of names at this point, and had said she would wait.

Now the three of them were standing at the entrance, talking quietly amongst themselves. In a few minutes, they had stopped and walked over to the human, who was putting out the fire with some nearby sand.

_**"Mother asked us to go out and get some food for the rest of the hive. The others are doing their part to make the place livable, so the chore's left up to us. We were wondering if you'd like to come along, since we can use all the extra help we can get. What do you say, Adelicia?"**_ Lee said.

"Yes; I think I'll come along." The girl said. The Drone wiggled excitedly; it was his first time out of the hive on a real hunt.

They helped the human clean up quickly, before heading out. They were a little way away from the hive when Adelicia realized that she had no weapon; save for the small knife she had used for cleaning her food. Looking down at herself, she saw that, as careful as she'd been, she still managed to get some blood on herself.

They continued to walk for awhile more, until one of the Xenos heard something and stopped dead. They all listened now, turning their heads now and then, and Adelicia wondered what they were listening to. In a few moments, she heard it, too; a sound like the flapping of wings…big wings, and the owner of those wings was getting closer.

Soon they saw what they had been hearing.

It was a giant bird; as big as a cow and not quite as friendly, judging by the creature's hooked beak and talons, which gleamed black and looked razor-sharp. This creature was a predator, and a big one at that.

"What brought it here? I don't think something like that would normally be hunting in the forest, would it?" Adelicia asked, looking up at the bird, which was coming ever closer. Then she looked down at herself and her skipped a beat; the blood! She was practically covered in blood, and this creature could most likely smell it from miles away.

"Oh, no…" The girl said quietly, and she was sure that the other three had reached the same conclusion.

_**"Get down, but for the love of the Queen, don't run!"**_ Makoto said to her. She did as she was told, slowly creeping to the hollow of a nearby tree, but always keeping her eyes on the giant bird.

Before she was there, however, the bird made its move. Swooping down faster than any of them would have thought possible, it grabbed the girl in its talons and took off. Though it could have speared her through with its claws, it chose instead to merely grip her tightly.

_**"NO!"**_ Makoto cried mentally, a loud shriek accompanying his protest. Before either of the others could react, the unnamed Drone took off. He was fast; not quite as fast as a Runner, but he was managing to keep up with the bird just fine.

The other two were in hop pursuit, with Lee ahead, due to the fact that Makoto was a Praetorian, and not really meant for speed. He was fast, to be sure, but he was also large, and couldn't last as long as Lee and the Drone could.

The Drone soon took to the trees, trying to keep a good eye on the bird which, thankfully, was flying low enough to see.

The Drone made a jump at the bird, trying to bite its legs and make it let go. Adelicia wouldn't be hurt by a fall from this height, at least not as much as what the bird would do to her.

After a few attempts, the Drone succeeded in getting a good enough shot at the bird to give it a good bite on the leg. The bird screeched in pain and released the human, who had fainted from the shock of the whole thing. The girl fell, but was miraculously caught by Makoto, who had somehow kept up with them. The Drone, in the meantime, was putting up a fabulous fight.

The bird, after being forced to release its human prey, began to retaliate on the Drone. Screeching and writhing, it began to peck at the creature that was tearing at its leg. This proved to be the biggest, and last, mistake of its life. The Drone winced as the other beast's beak tore into its hide, sending acid blood spraying from the wound-right into the bird's face.

Adelicia woke just in time to hear what she at first thought were the screams of demons in Hell, and thought that she had died, then realized that she was alive and that the screams were coming from the bird. The creature was dead in less than a minute, its head pretty much melted by the acid. It fell to earth, allowing the Drone just enough time to jump to safety. The beast landed wit a loud thud on the forest floor, the acrid smell of burning feathers and melting flesh permeating the air.

Looking around, Adelicia saw that she was in Makoto's arms, and rested her head on his chest. In a few moments, she smiled a little as his deep purring caused his chest to vibrate strongly. The Drone came trotting over to his companions, a good sized wound in his side, but otherwise unharmed. He went over to Adelicia, making sure not to get an of his corrosive blood on her, and gently nuzzled the human. The entire hive had grown fond of the human, and this Drone was worried about his new friend.

"I'm all right; what about you?" she asked, concerned.

_**"I'll be fine; we heal fast."**_ He replied.

Deciding to take Adelicia back to the hive before trying to hunt again, the three Xenos were soon at its entrance. Though Makoto was a little reluctant to leave the girl, Lee was allowed to stay behind, and Feather was called to help the two males instead.

Adelicia walked to Shisome's chamber, finding it pleasantly cool after the day's heat. Sitting down on the ground beside the enormous Queen, she told the larger female about what had happened. When she was finished, she told Shisome about an idea she had come up with on the way back.

"Shisome, I think I came up with a name for that Drone." She said carefully, hoping that the Queen wouldn't be offended.

_**"Oh? Tell me; I'm out of ideas at the moment."**_ Shisome replied.

"Well, what about Swift? He certainly was fast in rescuing me today." The human suggested.

_**"Swift? I like that; it's clever. All right; would you like to tell him or should I?"**_ She asked, looking down at the human.

"You should; you're his mother." Adelicia said, standing. She wanted to bathe and get the blood off her as soon as she could.

_**"Very well, and Adelicia?"**_ Shisome said.

"Yes?" The other female asked, looking up at the Xenomorph.

_**"When Makoto gets back, he'll take you to your ship, if it's not too late. You need to learn to defend yourself; you won't always have one of us around to help you."**_ Shisome said.

"Understood, Shisome." Adelicia said. Turning again, she walked back to her room.


	19. Phoning Home

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 19

**Phoning Home**

The next day, Makoto got Adelicia up early to got to the ship. The idea was to get her a suitable weapon to defend herself. The ordeal with the giant bird had put the Praetorian on high alert, and at every noise he would stop, back arched, tail stiff and ready to fight.

Adelicia thought that it was kind of cute, even though the sight of a Xenomorph ready for battle was one of the scariest things anyone could ever see.

They eventually made it to the clearing, and Adelicia opened the door to the ship. Walking in, they headed to the weapons room and began to look for a suitable armament.

At first, a gun seemed like the logical choice, but taking into account the possibility of running out of bullets or getting the firearm damaged, the thought was soon pushed away. A knife would have been alright, but Makoto didn't really like the idea of Adelicia having to get close enough to stab something. They looked at all the weapons, but nothing seemed right. The bombs could kill friend and foe alike, the same went for the grenades and the bazooka was too big.

There was also the problem of the fact that Makoto didn't really know how to use any human weaponry. While they worked, the Praetorian told the girl about Kurai's weapons, the iron fans. He seemed in awe that someone could use something so unconventional as a weapon. By the time they were done, they hadn't found anything that could be of use to them.

"Well, this was all for nothing." Adelicia said, flopping down onto a couch in the lounge area.

_**"At least we tried, right?"**_ Makoto said, stretching out on another couch, his long tail occasionally twitching.

"Hey, we're here, so I've got an idea." Adelicia said.

_**"Oh? And what would that be, little human? Perhaps we could…finish what we started the other day?"**_ Makoto said, rising. He walked over to the human, his tail swishing slowly from side to side. He sat beside her on the couch and wrapped said tail around the smaller female, purring like crazy.

"No…" She said, drawing away a little, Makoto's purring quieted down. "Do you remember those eggs we found?"

He tensed, hissing slightly. _**"Yes."**_ He said flatly.

"Well, I was thinking the other day and I…" she went on to tell him about her thoughts about the Yamamoto family's hand in the eggs. Makoto listened, all the while, his tail was swishing again, but this time it was faster and in agitation.

"And I was thinking that we could try to get in touch with Mr. Yamamoto and see what we find out." She concluded.

_**"Can you do that?"**_ Makoto asked. If there was any chance at all that they could talk to Hoshi and get to the bottom of this, he was sure Shisome would want him to act on it.

"Well, yeah; the men have the most up-to-date communication available, stolen the day it hit the market. If I can figure out how to use the thing, and if I can get through to Mr. Yamamoto, we can settle this." She said, rising and heading toward the control room. She had never been allowed in the room before, and she only had a basic knowledge of computers. She'd used them in school for work and things, but this was in a different class from the ancient things he school had.

Makoto took the time to walk around the ship a little, looking at the humans' living quarters and thinking of the absurd way they lived. While he wondered around, he began to think.

_"What if Kurai's family does have something to do with all of this? What if Kurai secretly knew? What if she actually sent those humans to this planet in order to wipe us out?"_ These thoughts plagued him as he looked at the many strange items the humans possessed.

_"We'll eat that meal when it's served."_ Shisome's voice came into the male's head.

_"But my Queen; what if Kurai really does have something to do with this? What do we do then?"_ Makoto asked.

_"First of all, I can't see any real reason why Kurai would want to kill us; if she didn't want to deal with us any more, she could have told Ko's kind where we are. Second, I just don't think Kurai's the kind of person who would do something like that, or Hoshi either. But, if it does turn out that Kurai or her family has a hand in this, we will have to confront her and…settle matters."_ The Queen explained quietly.

_"Do you mean…kill her?"_ Makoto asked. He's never really had any real qualms about killing humans if need be, but Kurai was different; or at least he hoped she was.

_"I doubt it'll come down to that, but if the choice must be made, what will you do?"_ Shisome asked.

_"Whatever you wish, of course."_ Makoto said.

_"Then let's agree that if it comes to it, you will settle matters quickly, no hesitation._" Shisome said.

_"No hesitation, my Queen."_ Makoto agreed.

"Makoto! I've gotten through to Earth!" Adelicia's voice brought the conversation to an end.

One the Praetorian had returned to the control room, he found Adelicia at the computer, a few manuals scattered about.

"This thing's so new that the crew decided to take the manuals, too. Luckily they kept them; I halfway know what I'm doing now." The girl explained.

_**"Have you gotten in touch with Hoshi yet?"**_ Makoto asked, coming up behind her and looking over her shoulder at the screen, which was flashing what he recognized as numbers.

"No; I still have to search for his number; I wouldn't expect it to be listed with the regular ones. I'm going to try and go through his company, maybe someone there will direct me on how to speak with him directly." Adelicia said, and began to type. Makoto suddenly had a thought.

_**"I doubt they'll let you speak with him directly, Adelicia; he's too important, but if you're allowed to give him a message, tell him that Makoto and Shisome want to speak with him, that'll get his attention for certain." **_

"Seems as good a plan as any." The girl replied, continuing her work. Fifteen minutes passed, until the number for the Yamamoto family's company number was finally found. Adelicia set to work putting in the number and soon "CONNECTING" was flashing on the screen. At last, an "OK" signaled that they had gotten through. Makoto hurriedly got out of sight.

"Yamamoto Industries, how may I help you?" a female face came onto the screen, probably a secretary or receptionist or something.

"Yes, hello. I would like to speak with Hoshi Yamamoto; it's important." The girl said.

"I'm so sorry, but Yamamoto-san is the president of this company, and cannot be bothered with such things as customer service and such. If you still wish to address a complaint, or have a question about a product or service, please feel free to do so now." The woman said.

"Okay then…could you tell me who I could get in touch with to talk with him, or at least give him a message?" Adelicia asked. She had always hated doing things like this, these big companies made the simplest thing complicated.

"Hold please." The woman said, and in a moment, the screen flashed and another woman was seen.

"Yamamoto Industries, how may I help you?" this one asked.

"Are you someone who can give a message to Mr. Yamamoto?" Adelicia asked.

"Not me directly; but I can give one to his assistant, who can give him a message." The new woman said.

"Okay, it's a start. Could you tell the assistant to tell Mr. Yamamoto that Makoto and Shisome need to talk to him?"

"And who are Makoto and Shisome?" the woman asked. Adelicia briefly looked at Makoto, who was crouched in the floor behind a large desk.

_**"Tell her we're friends of Kurai."**_ Makoto said.

"They are friends of his granddaughter, Kurai Blackwood." The girl said.

"Friends? Of Miss Kurai?"

"Yes." The girl said, this was getting frustrating.

"Very well; I'll tell Mr. Yamamoto's assistant." The woman got up and didn't return for a few minutes. When she did get back, she spoke again.

"Mr. Yamamoto's assistant has gone to give him your message, but he is in a meeting right now, and probably won't appreciate being disturbed."

They waited a few moments, and Adelicia began to think that all this was for nothing, until a loud beeping sound came from the woman's computer.

"Oh my! Mr. Yamamoto wants to speak to you directly! I hope you haven't upset him!" The woman said. "I'll patch you through immediately."

The screen suddenly cut to show an elderly man with neat white hair wearing traditional Japanese dress. He looked as though he was both puzzled and anxious. Adelicia's breath caught in her throat for a moment; this man was more rich and powerful than anyone she'd ever seen, and she had been able to actually contact him!

"Who are you, girl; and what business do you have with me? How do you know my granddaughter, or the names Makoto and Shisome? Speak up!" he said.

At this moment, Makoto took the opportunity to rise from his crouched position, making Mr. Yamamoto's white eyebrows raise ever so slightly.

"It's been some time, Xenomorph." He said quietly.


	20. Hoshi Yamamoto

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 20

**Hoshi Yamamoto**

"It's been some time, Xenomorph."

Makoto turned to Adelicia. _**"You're going to have to translate for me, Adelicia, I can't reach his mind from this distance."**_ The Praetorian said to the girl.

"And who are you, girl?" The old man asked, his attention turning Adelicia.

"M-My name is Adelicia, Mr. Yamamoto" she said, then told him briefly of how she'd come to this point.

"Interesting…very interesting. Why have you contacted me, Makoto?" Yamamoto asked, but it sounded as though he was talking to himself. In a moment, he sighed. "Forgive me for being so rude; I was in a very important meeting." He said.

_**"Tell him about the eggs."**_ Shisome's voiced whispered in Adelicia's head.

Adelicia did as she was told, telling the older man about what had transpired in the past couple of days. He listened, his eyes wide, until she was done talking.

"So…these men were carrying Xenomorph eggs?" The older man asked at length.

"Yes." Adelicia said.

"And you say that said eggs were in crates marked with the Yamamoto company crest?" he asked.

"Yes, there were five in all, but Makoto and the others found and destroyed all of them-" she was cut off by Hoshi.

"Others? How many others are there?" he asked.

"Let's see…about ten, I think. Is that right, Makoto?"

The Praetorian nodded and Hoshi's eyebrows went up again. "So many…in such a short time…I suppose that that's what became of the crew of that ship?" he asked. The girl nodded.

_**"Ask him if he had anything to do with this."**_ Shisome said.

Adelicia turned to Hoshi, but the older man spoke first.

"Let me guess; they want to know if I know anything about or had anything to do with this, right? The answer is no. My family has its hand in pretty much every kind of industry, but we don't have anything to do with research involving Xenomorphs. If we wanted eggs, we could have kept Shisome when she was removed from Kurai. My Shadows could have easily killed you, Makoto, and we could have had a place ready to hold Shisome in a matter of hours."

Both Adelicia and Makoto stared at the elderly human with their mouths open.

"So…the question is what to do now. This troubles me greatly; someone is using my company to do Gods know what with Xenomorph eggs… Someone will most definitely be…punished…for this; and severely. Girl-Adelicia, you said that your former crewmates recently got their hands on some items that they were keen enough on keeping that they hightailed it to Pluvia… Interestingly enough, my company hasn't had any robberies in any of its divisions in nearly ten years, which means that the person or people who acquired the eggs didn't report them stolen, meaning that they were desperate to hide what they were doing." He concluded.

"What are you going to do, Mr. Yamamoto?" Adelicia asked. This man was very scary when he was angry.

"Firstly, I'm going to come to Pluvia so we can talk face-to-face about this. I want to see your ship and get a good look at the computer's records. I should be there in a few days' time. Oh, one more thing; when my ship came to Pluvia, we couldn't land too close to the cliffs, how did you?" he asked.

"Well, our ship is far smaller than yours, and the men were too concerned with hiding out that they didn't really think things through; they rarely do…_did_." Adelicia said.

"I see…I suppose I could get a small hovercraft and save some time…Very well; I'll be there in two days. Give me your ship's coordinates so I'll know where to find you."

It took Adelicia a few minutes of searching, and some patient coaching from Hoshi before she could find out how to read coordinates, but at last the job was done.

"Now then; is there anything you need from Earth, child? Any special food or something I can bring you?" Hoshi asked. He had begun to calm down and was speaking in a rather kind manner.

"N-no, Mr. Yamamoto; I'm doing all right… but thank you so much for asking…" she said, blushing.

"You look like you could use some new clothes; didn't your crewmates ever get you any?" he asked. A look from the girl gave him the answer.

"I'll bring you some clothes at least… Now, I advise you to get back to your hive, Makoto, and wait for my arrival. Are you sure that you found all those eggs?"

_**"We're sure; we searched the entire ship and the outlaying area."**_ Makoto said, and Adelicia translated.

"All right, I'll take your word for it, Makoto. Adelicia, I suggest that you learn to defend yourself, and soon; the wildlife on that planet is nothing like anything we have on Earth."

"Makoto and Shisome think the same thing, but I haven't found a weapon that suits me yet… I never learned to fight." The girl said, looking at her lap.

"It's fine; I'll help you when I get there. Now, I'm sorry, but I must go now; we can't risk anyone finding out that this conversation took place." With this, his image faded from the computer screen.

_**"So he's coming here…good, we can settle this at last."**_ Shisome mused.

"Do you really think he has anything to do with this? He seemed like he was pretty upset." Adelicia asked.

_**"Well, that's true; either that or he's a very good liar. When he gets here, I'll be able to tell if he's lying or not."**_ The Queen said.

"And…and if he is?" Adelicia asked nervously.

Makoto made a slicing gesture with his tail, and Adelicia got the point instantly.


	21. Late Night Talk

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

Starting Over

Part 21

**Late Night Talk**

The next day, it was business as usual in the hive. Adelicia and Makoto had left the ship and returned to give the information to Shisome. The Queen listened patiently as she was told about Hoshi's coming, occasionally swishing her massive tail from side to side.

_**"So he's coming here…good; it'll be nice to get to the bottom of this."**_ Shisome said, the Drones gave a hiss in agreement.

"Are you really going to have him killed, Shisome?" Adelicia asked.

_**"I'd really rather not; but if it comes down to it I will. What say you, Makoto?"**_ She asked.

_**"You know that I will do anything to protect this hive, Shisome."**_ Makoto said solemnly.

Adelicia shivered; she hoped to never be on the wrong side of Shisome's wrath.

_**"Very well, then. Now, Hoshi will not be here for a couple of days, so in the meantime, it'll be business as usual; we still haven't finished turning these caves into a proper hive, so we'll need to focus on that. Adelicia, I'm sorry, but there's really not a lot you can do to help us right now." **_Shisome said.

"It's okay, I'll just…uhm…" the girl looked around, trying to think of something to occupy her time for the next couple of days.

_**"We'll find something; I'm sure of it."**_ Makoto purred encouragingly, coming up behind her and lightly resting his head on her shoulder.

Shisome nodded her massive head, and Adelicia somehow felt better knowing that she could be useful. She'd never liked sitting around and watching television or talking on the phone like the other girls at her school, she needed to be _doing_ something.

The Queen then began giving out instructions as to who would be doing what. Three of the Drones would go and scope out the caves, then they would report on what they found. Two of them would begin to dig tunnels through the walls of the explored parts of the place. At first, Adelicia wasn't sure how they would accomplish this, but then she saw that the creatures could use their claws to dig through solid rock.

Makoto took Adelicia with him while he made rounds around the place, occasionally offering help or advice. The girl was amazed to see how quickly the Xeno could create a tunnel through a ten foot rock wall; it was as if he was just digging in soft earth.

_"I wouldn't stand a chance against those claws."_ She thought as she watched the male disappearing through the hole he was creating in the ceiling. In a moment he returned, brushing dirt and small pieces of rock from his body. The other Drones quickly took over from him, each one jumping up to continue the work that needed to be done.

The rest of the day went on like this; with Adelicia following Makoto and watching while he did this and that to help his fellow hive mates. By the end of the day, Adelicia was a little tired and the thought of her bed was paradise.

As she lay her head on her pillow, the girl thought over the events of the day. Never in a million years did she think that she'd have the opportunity to talk to someone like Hoshi Yamamoto, and soon she would actually meet the man! What a strange turn her life had taken lately. She'd gone from being miserable on the ship to being pretty happy in this hive. True, the Xenomorph way of life would take some getting used to, but she had adjusted to changes in her life before.

_**"Adelicia?"**_ a voice murmured in her head. Rising, she could just barely make out a large shape in the doorway.

"M-Makoto, is that you?" she asked sleepily.

_**"Yes; I was wondering…could we sleep together tonight?"**_ he asked, with a little purr at the end of the sentence.

"Uhhhhhh…" she said, unsure of how exactly to answer that question.

_**"Oh…OH! Not like that, Adelicia! It's just that I'm a little…lonely lately."**_ He said.

"Lonely? How can you be, with all the others?" the girl asked, rising and going over to join the Xeno. The large male sat down on the floor, and the girl did the same. With a little maneuvering, Makoto managed to get into a more relaxed position; with him lying on his side with Adelicia reclined against him.

_**"One can be lonelier in a room full of people by oneself. The others are my hive mates, but… I don't know how to explain it to you. You'd have to be one of us to truly understand this."**_ He said, his head dipping a bit.

"I may not be one of you, Makoto, but I do know how you feel. They're not the ones you grew up around; Shisome's a great Queen, but she's not your mother, the others are good company, but they're not the ones you remember." The girl said comfortingly.

_**"I suppose…maybe you do know something about it then. It's not that I don't care about them; it's just…I miss it…the way things used to be, before the humans destroyed everything we held dear."**_ Makoto said, sighing.

"Well, I miss my past, too; but there's nothing that can be done now." Adelicia said, reaching out a hand and gently stroking Makoto's head, making him purr deeply.

_**"Shisome may be my Queen, but she's not my mother. I'd give absolutely anything to have things the way they were."**_ Makoto said, his head drooping a bit.

Shisome had been awakened by an itch on her back. After this had been taken care of, she began to drift off again. Today had been a long one, and she was nervous about meeting Hoshi again. Truly, she didn't want this to turn violent; Hoshi had been responsible for helping her get to this planet, but she just couldn't allow threats to her hive! She'd been feeling a little odd lately…a sort of tired feeling that made her not even want to think about laying more eggs. Groaning, she tried to will the feeling away.

_"It's not that I don't care about them; it's just…I miss it…the way things used to be, before the humans destroyed everything we held dear." _The voice was Makoto's. Shisome's head perked up at what she'd just heard. Normally she didn't listen in on the private thoughts of others, unless she needed to communicate, but this was a different matter.

_"Shisome may be my Queen, but she's not my mother. I'd give absolutely anything to have things the way they were." _ Makoto's voice came into her head again.

_"So that's it; that's what he really feels…"_ Shisome thought to herself, her tail twitching a bit. She'd always known that Makoto was a little distant, but this…she'd never expected anything like this. The Queen hadn't been alive very long, but she was sure that this was one of the most painful things she'd ever feel. Shisome stopped listening to Makoto; she didn't want to hear any more.

Lowering her head, the female sighed and tried to go back to sleep, occasionally letting out a sad whine.

"So she's not your mother; she cares for you Makoto, I can feel it. You miss your mother, and that's okay, but you've got to move on now. Things can't ever go back to the way they were; as much as we'd like them to." Adelicia comforted him as best she could.

_**"I suppose you're right; dwelling on the past will hinder the future… Thank you, Adelicia."**_ Makoto gently nuzzled the girl's neck, making her shiver a little, but not in a bad way. The Praetorian laid his head on the ground and was asleep within minutes, and was soon followed by the girl.


	22. Midday Walk

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 22

**Midday Walk**

Shisome awoke the next morning feeling much better. The strange feeling was gone, and her whole body felt lighter. The good feeling was dulled considerably when the Queen remembered the conversation she'd overheard the night before.

_"How could he say those things? Doesn't he know I feel as bad as he does?"_ she thought to herself, sighing.

Shrugging off the night's tiredness, the large female began to groom herself as best she could. Starting with her head, she meticulously went over her body; removing any dirt and debris she could. When she got to her tail, she shrieked at what she found.

"SCREEEEEEEECH!" Adelicia was awakened suddenly by the sound of shrieking coming from somewhere else in the cave. Makoto was on his feet and out the door before Adelicia could even fully rise from the floor. The girl got up quickly and followed the Xenomorph as best she could; which wasn't easy considering it was dark in the caves and he wasn't exactly easy to see.

Finally they arrived at their destination; Shisome's chamber. Makoto rushed to his Queen, looking for any sign of trouble. Shisome was holding her lowered head in her hands, whimpering and shivering.

"Shisome; what's wrong? Why did you scream like that?" Makoto asked, still looking for any sign of danger. The rest of the hive was there, too; looking in every direction for threats to their mother.

_**"It's…I…I…"**_ she stammered, still holding her head.

"Shisome…come on; tell us what's wrong with you? Are you sick?" Adelicia asked, stepping forward.

_**"Yes…no….I don't know! I…I don't think I'm fit to be your Queen anymore!"**_ she said, looking away in shame.

_**"What do you mean, Mother?"**_ several of the Drones cried out, wringing their hands in dismay.

_**"I can't lay eggs anymore!"**_ the female cried, her tail thrashing a bit.

"What do you mean, you can't lay eggs anymore?" Adelicia asked, confused.

_**"I know what she means; and she's wrong."**_ Makoto said quietly, then to Shisome, _**"Step forward, Shisome."**_

The female hesitated a moment, before stepping into the slightly better light. A small tearing sound accompanied her movements, and she let out a little groan of despair. Adelicia noticed immediately what all this was about. The huge egg sac that had formerly been attached to the Queen's body was now dried up and lying in a heap on the floor.

_**"You see? I can't have any more babies; I'm of no use to this hive!"**_ Shisome said, hanging her crested head and crouching down a little.

_**"Shisome…you're still plenty fit to be Queen…this is normal."**_ Makoto said comfortingly, going over gently nuzzling Shisome's head.

_**"Normal? This isn't normal, Makoto! What's wrong with me?" **_

_**"Shisome, all Queens go through this once every couple of months; even Mother. You're egg sac will shrivel and detach to give you the opportunity to move around outside the hive if you wish it. You can go outside and explore the area if you want to now."**_ Makoto informed her gently.

_**"When will it grow back?"**_ Adelicia asked.

_**"In about five days' time, give or take."**_ The male said, relieved that this was all that was wrong.

"Five days? Really?" Adelicia asked, fascinated.

_**"Yes; in a few days Shisome will re-grow her egg sac and can begin laying again if she wishes. Until then, why don't you walk around a bit? It'll be good for you to get some air."**_ Makoto suggested, as two Drones began to carry Shisome's now useless egg sac out of the hive.

_**"A walk outside? Yes; that really does sound nice."**_ Shisome said to herself. She then turned to Adelicia, who was watching as the Drones walked out of the chamber, the spent egg sac being carried between them.

_**"Would you like to join me?"**_ she asked the girl.

"Join you? On a walk? Yes; that'd be lovely." Adelicia said, smiling up at the much larger female. The two of them rose to their feet and began to head out into the forest. Makoto informed them that he would stay behind and oversee the continuing of work on the hive.

_**"Well then, let's go; I really do want to see the forest. I've heard about the place from my children and I never really knew if I'd ever get to see it."**_ Shisome said, standing. There was another reason she wanted Adelicia to come along. She wanted to talk to the girl about what had transpired between her and Makoto the previous night. The Xenomorph had been sensing that Makoto and Adelicia's feelings for each other had been growing ever stronger lately; and this could pose a problem.

Though she did like Adelicia, she needed to inform the girl that Makoto would only be obeying one female-her. She didn't think that Makoto would disobey outright, but the competition-however small-coupled with the conversation last night had made the Queen all too aware that the Praetorian could become…conflicted…in the future. Adelicia didn't seem the type to try to turn Makoto against his Queen, but then again, she didn't need to be. Shisome was sure that, even in the almost nonexistent possibility that the human tried something, her children would handle matters at a word from their mother.

_"Stop thinking like that!"_ she told herself sternly on the way out of the caves. _"The child would never try anything like that."_

_"But all the same; she will be informed that I am in charge of things here."_ She decided. No threats would be needed, hopefully, and the whole ugly business would be settled in a few minutes.

The two of them walked for a few minutes, each taking in the scenery with awe. Shisome loved the smell of the fresh air, and the colors of the dense jungle. There were plenty of noises indicating small animals, which made her slightly hungry.

At last, the two of them were far enough away from the hive so as not to be overheard by any of the hive. They sat to rest by a river and, after Shisome was certain that the water was safe, they each had a drink. The grass beneath them was cool and comfortable, and the sun was warm. The Queen curled up, a massive black shape against the soft emerald grass, and the human took the opportunity to lie against her.

They stayed quiet for a little while, neither wanting to interrupt the wonderful silence, until Shisome decided that it was time to speak.

_**"Adelicia?"**_ she said, a little anxious about the conversation to come. She wanted to clear up matters, but not lose her new friend.

"Hm?" the girl asked, looking at a small blue flower she'd just picked.

_**"There are some things that we need to talk about…very important things."**_

"And what are they?"

_**"Well, for starters, let me ask you something; you know that one of our hives has one and only one Queen, correct?"**_ she began a little hesitantly.

"Of course; everyone back on Earth knows that, Shisome." Adelicia said, picking another flower and beginning to make a chain out of them, something she missed doing back on Earth.

_**"Right, well…you do also know that a Queen's children obey her without the slightest hesitation, yes?"**_ she said, choosing her words carefully.

"Uh-huh." Adelicia said, picking a strand of grass to decorate the growing flower chain.

_**"All right, I'm going to say this now, and I don't want you to think that I'm trying to scare you, because I'm really not, so here goes. Adelicia, ever since you've gotten here, Makoto has been getting more distant from me. Now he's always been a little like that, but never like this. I just want you to know that…well…I won't have you interfering in matters relating to our hive; by which I mean that when I give Makoto an order, you won't question it."**_ She said, feeling a little better.

The girl turned to look at the Xenomorph, who was looking back at her seriously.

"Shisome…I've never-" she began, but was cut off.

_**"Oh, I know, but I'm just saying…Makoto will only obey one of us, and it will be me, do you understand?"**_ she said.

_**"Yeah…I get it…but let me ask you something; what brought this on? You've never said anything about this before, Shisome." **_Adelicia asked, confused by her friend's words.

_**"It's just…I heard you talking to Makoto last night..."**_ Shisome said slowly.

"Heard us talk-oh! Ohhhh…you heard that, huh?" Adelicia asked, feeling the awkwardness settle over the two of them.

_**"Yes…and I have to say that in a way…I do understand. I know that I'll never be as close to Makoto as Mother was, but I'm trying to be close to him. This isn't easy on me either, you know."**_ Shisome admitted.

"How do you mean?"

_**"I mean…the whole hive is counting on me to make the decisions; one wrong move or bad idea and everyone could die. It's a lot of pressure to be under, Adelicia." **_

"I understand that, Shisome, believe me, but you don't have to worry; I'm not going to try to dethrone you or anything." Adelicia reassured her, gently rubbing the Queen's head.

_**"Thank you, and I'm sorry; I don't know why I was so insecure…it's just…I wish I could have known her, my mother I mean."**_

"Huh?" The human asked, not quite sure what to make of what Shisome's statement.

_**"A Queen can do many things, but she can never know her mother. The only time a Queen creates another one is if she either knows she's going to die soon or if she plans on starting a new hive somewhere far away. Makoto is so lucky, being able to have known her for so long. He'll never see me in nearly the same way as he did her."**_ The Queen confessed sadly.

"Okay sure; you may not be Makoto's mother, but he does care about you, Shisome. You overheard him telling me that you weren't his mother, but you didn't hear him telling me that he wants to focus on the future now. He just misses the way things were in the past, that's all. You can't really blame him, though; it was a lot to go through for anyone." Adelicia said.

Shisome sighed; the girl was right. All this time she'd been feeling sorry for herself, and she'd never really given much thought as to how Makoto was taking everything. He had witnessed the destruction of his home and the murder of his family, and yet he'd managed to save her when she was just a baby. He'd ended up captured by humans for trying to protect her, then he'd made sure that she was safe and comfortable ever since.

_**"All he's done for me, and I've been so selfish…do you think he'll ever forgive me?"**_ she asked hesitantly.

"I think he will, if you talk to him about it. He's just as willing to get along as you are." Adelicia said gently. She understood that the two of them had been through a lot, and that they needed to talk things through.

They sat in silence for a while longer, until Shisome suddenly spoke up.

_**"I made a complete fool of myself today." **_She said.

"How do you mean?"

_**"I didn't even know what was happening with my own body; what kind of Queen am I?"**_

"An inexperienced one, Shisome; you're young, but don't worry, I think you'll be a great Queen, it just might take some time."

_**"Thank you, Adelicia."**_ Shisome said, reaching out and nuzzling the human gently.

The rest of the day was spent pleasantly enough; they walked a little more, and Adelicia found some fruit that she took a chance and tasted. Finding that the stuff wasn't poisonous, she decided to have it for lunch. Shisome went into the jungle and returned with a large reptilian creature that she began to eat, with Adelicia looking away and trying to ignore the sounds of ripping flesh and crunching bones.

They returned home to find that the hive was almost unrecognizable. Resin covered much of the walls inside, and tunnels could be seen in every which direction. The whole place felt hot and humid; even more so than the jungle outside.

_**"Mother, you're home!"**_ Swift said, coming to greet them. A few more Drones followed his example, crawling out of various holes and tunnels. _**"We've been working all day; what do you think?"**_

_**"You've done a wonderful job; all of you."**_ She said, and the others hissed in pleasure at the praise. Adelicia turned when she felt something bump gently against her back. It was Makoto, playfully nudging her with his head. Crouching down, he suddenly bounded away when she reached out a hand to touch him. Landing a few feet away, he raised his tail and wiggled a little, like a kitten playing with its siblings.

Laughing, Adelicia ran after him, leaving Shisome with her children. She decided that she'd talk to Makoto later.


	23. Reconciliation

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

Starting Over

Part 23

**Reconciliation**

Adelicia chased Makoto a little ways through the tunnels, laughing at his playfulness. Finally he let her catch him, and the two of them tumbled onto the floor, fighting playfully.

"What brought this on, Makoto? You're usually so…unlike this." The girl commented, as the Xenomorph ended up on top of her in a sort of sitting position.

_**"Oh, today just went so well, that's all. We got a great deal of this place covered in resin, made several new tunnels and found a new kind of creature that was very good to eat. And now…I've gone and captured another new…prey"**_ he purred.

The male hissed softly as he bent down and gently bit her neck. Adelicia shrieked with laughter, which gave Makoto a devious idea.

Bending down, he nipped her again, making her laugh harder.

"Oh, Makoto! Stop; it tickles!" the girl cried, pushing him away playfully, which only encouraged him more.

_**"Bite."**_ Makoto said, nipping again.

"Stop it! Stop it!"

_**"Bite."**_

"Makoto!"

_**"Biiiiiiiiite..."**_ Makoto teased, his tail twitching.

_**"Ahem…"**_ A voice from the doorway.

Turning, the two of them saw Lee standing there, head cocked and tail twitching curiously.

_**"And what's going on in here?"**_ the female asked playfully. Makoto regained his composure and got off of the girl, who stood quickly, dusting herself off and trying to look innocent.

_**"Nothing…now." **_Makoto said, the last part a hint to the young Drone.

_**"Oh…Anyway, Mother wishes to speak with you, Makoto."**_ Lee said, fidgeting awkwardly.

_**"Very well; sorry, Adelicia, we'll continue this…later."**_ Makoto said, nudging the girl gently before turning and exiting the room, leaving the two females alone.

_**"So…you two are getting on quite well."**_ Lee said slyly.

"I suppose…" Adelicia said, going over and beginning to make her bed for the night.

_**"Come now; you and I both know that it's just a matter of time before you two-"**_

"Lee!" Adelicia said, shocked.

_**"I'm just saying, it'll happen, I'm sure of it."**_ Lee said innocently, tail swishing lazily.

The two females talked for awhile, while Adelicia straightened up her room. Their talk was put to an end when Makoto suddenly came back into the room.

_Earlier…_

Makoto was enjoying the time with Adelicia. It had been a long time for him, and the Praetorian was looking forward to where the night could lead them. The sounds of the girl's laughter made him purr louder than he had in a very long time, and he was just hoping that nothing would interrupt-

"Ahem."

"And what's going on in here?" Lee's voice asked in his head, making them both look over their shoulders. Lee was standing there in the doorway, but Makoto didn't know how long she'd been there.

"Nothing…now." Makoto said, hoping that the smaller female would take the hint and leave.

"Oh…Anyway, Mother wishes to speak with you, Makoto." Lee said moving around as though she wished she were somewhere else; Makoto wished it, too, but a request from his Queen couldn't be ignored.

Rising, he walked out the door past Lee, giving her a meaningful look as he went by.

The male walked out of the room and down the corridors to Shisome's chamber, intent on finding out what it was that was so important. Though he wasn't really angry at his Queen, he was more frustrated than he would have thought possible. Had it really been that long for him?

He finally got to Shisome's chamber, where the large female had returned after her walk with Adelicia. She was curled up in a corner, purring contentedly to herself. Makoto approached Shisome, wondering what it was she wanted with him…and not any one of the other ten members of the hive.

Shisome looked up at his approach, then stood. Makoto was a large male, even for a Praetorian, but he still couldn't get over how big the Queens were. Shisome was not as big as his mother had been, but she still had a lot of growing left to do; Makoto's mother had lived a long time before Makoto was ever thought of.

"Ah, Makoto; thank you for coming, I would have gotten one of the others, but I thought that you were the one best suited for this task." Shisome said.

"And what task would that be?" Makoto asked, more curious than agitated now.

"I need you to lead a hunting party tomorrow. As you know, this hive has expanded greatly since we've come here, and we seem to need more food every day, never mind hosts. You'll have to pick about three of four of the Drones to take with you. I thought of you because you're the most experienced one of us all; will you do it?"

"You know I can't refuse, Shisome." Makoto said.

"Very well; and Makoto, there is another reason I called you here."

"Which is?"

"I…I heard you and Adelicia talking last night…about how you wish things could have stayed like they were before Mother died…"Shisome said, her head dipping a little.

"Oh...Shisome...I just…" Makoto began, not sure of what to say.

"It's all right; Adelicia told me that you're just sad that Mother's gone, and I understand… I suppose that we've always been rather distant, but I would like that to stop. I understand that I could never take Mother's place, and I don't want to; but I'm doing the best I can to make this place a home for us." Shisome said.

"Shisome, I apologize. I haven't exactly been trying to get close to you, have I?"

"Well…" Shisome said, unsure of how to really respond.

"I suppose that I've been acting this way because I do miss Mother…but I…I realize now that it's not your fault that she's gone. I mean, her last wish was for me to make sure that you were safe…and what would she think of me now? I'm ashamed of myself for my behavior. I guess that I've been blaming you a little for what happened, even though I know that it's ridiculous; and from now on, I'll try to remember that."

"Thank you, Makoto." Shisome said, settling down again.

"You seem to be quite comfortable like that." Makoto said, changing the subject.

"Yes; I've forgotten what it was like to curl up and sleep. It'll be nice not to have to stand all day and night." The larger female said, stretching her massive form and flexing her impressive claws.

"Yes, but just remember; it only lasts a few days." Makoto reminded the Queen, who rolled over onto her back.

"Don't say that! I'm enjoying this too much!" she pouted.

Makoto gave a hiss of laughter and walked out of the room, intending to try and get Adelicia alone again. Shisome could still be heard purring as the Praetorian got further away.

**...........................................................................................................................................**

"How did it go?" Adelicia asked when Makoto returned to the room. She and Lee had been talking ever since the Praetorian had left, and the human had found that the Xenomorph had an incredible sense of humor. Lee loved to hear stories about Adelicia's childhood, and Adelicia enjoyed learning about Lee and her family. Thinking back, the human couldn't remember having a friend of hers back on Earth who listened quite as well as Lee did. The female gave her human friend a goodbye hiss and left the room.

_**"Quite well; Shisome wants me to lead a hunting party tomorrow. We need more food now because there are so many of us. Hopefully we can find something big so we don't have to spend the whole day hunting."**_ The male said, sitting and scratching at an itchy place on his back.

"Makoto, I have a question; you told me that your original hive was a lot larger than this one, right?" Adelicia asked.

_**"Yes; we were over four times this size."**_ Makoto said proudly.

"Well then, how did you manage to find food for everyone?"

_**"It was an almost constant effort to find nourishment for everyone. There was almost always at least one hunting party out looking for food. That's the downside of a large hive; more numbers means more hunting, which means a bigger strain on the natural resources. Luckily, this hive is small, so if we're careful, we will be able to stay here a good long while."**_

"What does that mean?" Adelicia asked.

_**"Sometimes a hive has to move from one place to the other if there is no more food or water. If we're careful, that won't happen."**_ Makoto said, stretching.

"That's good; after all the work you guys put into this place. Well, it's time to go to bed; I'll see you in the morning, Makoto." Adelicia said, walking over to her bed.

_**"All right, let's get some sleep, Adelicia."**_ Makoto said, following the girl over to her bed.

"What are you doing?" Adelicia asked, looking at the Xenomorph.

_**"Trying to get some sleep."**_ Makoto said, cocking his head to one side.

"In the corner, maybe, but not with me."

_**"What? Why not? Last night we-"**_

"Last night was different; but tonight you're sleeping in the corner." Adelicia said firmly, pointing over to said corner.

Makoto hissed his displeasure, but went over to the corner nonetheless. Adelicia laughed quietly to herself as the male circled a few times, trying to get comfortable. At last, they were both settled in.

Adelicia drifted off to sleep with the thought of Hoshi Yamamoto's impending visit in her mind. Though it could have been under better circumstances, it would still be something to meet the man. She then thought of Makoto's hunt the next day, and wondered what sort of creature or creatures they would bring back. The girl fell asleep thinking of all the strange things that had been happening to her lately.


	24. We Meet At Last

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 24

**We Meet At Last**

Adelicia awoke the next morning with a sense of excitement flowing through her; today was the day that Hoshi Yamamoto would arrive.

Getting up, she put her bed materials neatly onto the rock shelf and took her best clothes out to wear. Walking into her bathing room, she began to undress and stepped into the bath.

_**"Oh…may I join you?" **_Makoto purred in her head. Adelicia jumped; she'd forgotten that he'd been sleeping in the corner!

"No; but you can hand me that rag." She said, looking over her shoulder at the large Praetorian standing on the edge of the pool.

_**"What's wrong; you've been a little cold to me lately…"**_ the male said, tossing Adelicia the washcloth that she'd forgotten to bring in with her.

"I'm not being cold; I'm just…thinking things through." She said, and began to wash her long hair.

_**"Why do you need to think anything through? I…I'd never do anything, **_**anything**_** to hurt you."**_ He said softly.

"And I believe you; it's just that so much is changing lately… First, I'm a virtual slave, then I'm living with creatures that parents tell their children stories about to make them behave…now I'm meeting perhaps the most powerful man on Earth…me; a girl who was raised in almost total poverty…" she said, all the while washing her hair and body.

_**"I suppose…I can't expect you to be like one of my kind…I shouldn't think that you'll act the same as a female of my species…you're more…delicate…and you'll have to be treated as such…"**_ with these musings, he turned and left the room, his tail swishing slowly through the air. Adelicia's eyebrows raised for a moment, then she went back to her bath.

When she was done, she put on her clothes and braided her hair. Adelicia sighed; she knew that, even though she was wearing the best outfit she owned, Mr. Yamamoto probably had servants that dressed better. This particular outfit, a pale pink tank top and long white skirt, had been bought for her by her mother the year that her family had been murdered. She put on a pair of cheap white plastic sandals; a relic from one of the very few times the men on the ship allowed her to go outside the ship while they were at port. The fabric was rather old, and had been patched in a couple of places when it was first bought; but she was thankful that her mother had thought of her when she'd bought it.

Walking out of her room, Adelicia wandered down the halls until she came to Shisome's chamber. The massive female was curled up; apparently still sleeping. She had, whether by her own orders or the others' wishes, been left to sleep longer than was usual for her.

The girl giggled as the Queen made a sound that resembled a snore and scratched under one arm. Not wanting to wake Shisome, Adelicia tiptoed on past her room.

_**"Ah, you're up!"**_ Lee said, as the human neared the cave entrance.

"Yes, so are you, but Shisome's not." Adelicia observed.

_**"Oh, yes…Mother looked so comfortable…we decided to let her sleep a little more."**_ The blue female explained, cocking her head to one side.

"That was nice…what are you doing; hunting again?" Adelicia asked.

_**"No; some of us decided to take the opportunity to go swimming. We'll go again later, if Mother wants to join us. Some of the others did go hunting, though; they'll be back soon with food enough for all of us." **_Lee explained.

"Oh, that'll be nice."

_**"Is that human coming today? I heard Makoto talking about it with Swift, but Rain started talking to me before I could hear any more."**_ She said.

"Oh, yes; he's coming today. He wants to look into the matter of those eggs." Adelicia noted that at the mention of the eggs, Lee tensed and let out a small hiss.

_**"Good; I don't even want to think about…what might have happened if those eggs hatched."**_ Lee said, and shivered.

"We share the same opinion." Adelicia said flatly.

Lee nodded, and the two began to talk and laugh with one another, finding that with each passing day, they became better friends. Soon, the sounds of hissing, squeaking and purring could be heard, and the two looked out to see that five of the hive's members were coming over the horizon, each carrying an absolutely huge deer-like creature; breakfast was served.

The two females stood aside whilst the others brought the food in. Makoto soon emerged behind the other five; they hadn't noticed him behind all the others. He was carrying a sixth creature, and was limping slightly.

"Makoto!" Adelicia cried, rushing to meet him. The Praetorian handed his load over to Lee, who fell in line behind the others, and bent his head to nuzzle the human gently.

"Makoto…" Adelicia said again, this time more softly.

_**"I'm fine; I just didn't dodge a kick in time."**_ He said, letting the human look at his leg.

The leg looked a little bruised, but Adelicia didn't think that the bone was broken. Makoto might need a couple of days to rest and recover, but other than that he was fine.

Makoto purred quietly at Adelicia's attention, enjoying the fact that the human was fawning over him so much. She talked quietly to him as she looked at his wounds, practically pampering him and looking on in concern when he had to go into the hive to help divide up the shares of meat.

Makoto headed into a small chamber where the others were beginning to tear the deer-creatures into smaller portions. Setting aside a good piece of meat for Adelicia, he used his razor sharp teeth and claws to tear flesh from bone; transforming the large herbivores into piles of bloody flesh in mere minutes.

A loud yawn told them that Shisome was awake, and three of the Drones picked up a large piece of meat to bring to their mother. Makoto, looking around to make sure that the job here was finished, picked up the piece of meat he'd laid aside earlier and went off to find Adelicia.

He found her in Shisome's chamber, talking to the Queen while she ate. She must have amused the larger female, for every now and then, she'd give a little hiss of laughter.

_**"Adelicia; I brought you some food."**_ The Praetorian said, and the two females looked up.

"Thanks!" she said, coming over and gingerly taking the bloody chunk of meat from him. She went back to her room and got the implements she used for cooking and brought them to the cave entrance. Being careful not to get any blood on her dress, she began to cook the meat.

After awhile, the food was cooked and Makoto couldn't smell it anymore, so he ventured close enough to talk with the girl while she ate.

They talked for awhile, and occasionally laughed, until Adelicia was done with her meal. The girl cleaned up while Makoto went into Shisome's chamber to see if his Queen needed anything. She didn't, so he returned to the human. Finding that the fire had been put out and the ashes covered with dirt, he and Adelicia sat down to wait for Hoshi.

The two sat and waited for almost three hours, talking occasionally to each other, or the occasional Drone who would pass by doing whatever errand needed to be done. The sky changed from the slightly dim pink of dawn to the bright blue of afternoon, and the warm air became hot.

Finally, a dull hum could be heard in the distance making the Praetorian look up. He and Adelicia had gradually fallen into a light doze, having nothing else to do. Going over to where the human was sitting, her head lolling against the wall and snoring lightly, he gently brought a hand up to stroke her cheek. She awakened and rubbed her eyes.

"Hm? What is it, Makoto?" she asked sleepily.

_**"I hear something; listen."**_ He said, motioning with his head toward the sound.

Adelicia listened carefully and, sure enough there was a noise. It wasn't natural; it was…somehow familiar. She'd sworn that she'd heard that sound before, but she just couldn't place it.

_**"What do you think it is?"**_ Lee said from behind them, making them jump.

"Where did you come from?" Adelicia gasped, clutching her hand to her chest.

_**"An egg…then an amphibious creature that-"**_ She began.

"No…I meant where were you before you surprised us." The human explained.

_**"Oh, I was finished eating, so I went around to give food to those who were still hungry, then I came out here."**_ Lee said.

_**"Hush! The noise is growing louder…whatever's making it is coming closer by the second."**_ Makoto said. The two females quieted down and listened and, sure enough, the once quiet hum was gradually growing into a dull roar.

_**"This is too stressful; I wish we could have stayed down at the river longer…swimming through the water, diving off of tree branches, floating in the current…"**_ Lee might have gone on for awhile more, but something clicked in Adelicia's head and suddenly gasped.

"That's it; _floating_! I remember where I heard that noise before!" she exclaimed.

_**"Where?"**_ the two Xenomorphs said, turning to look at her.

"All right; one time, my father took me and my siblings to this parade in one of the better parts of the city. The whole place was crowded with people, but my dad managed to get us a place up front." She said.

_**"And the point would be…?"**_

"Oh, right…well, we got a good place, and the parade began. The first thing that came was the floats, and they were nice, but I'll never forget the hovercrafts. They were on loan from some private owner to show off the new models that had just come out. They sounded just like that; though I'm betting that Hoshi Yamamoto has a far better model now." She said.

_**"Yes; he did say something about a hovercraft, didn't he? That's him, I'm sure of it, and by the sound of it, he's not too far off."**_ Makoto said.

Makoto was right; in a few minutes, a small speck could be seen, then it gradually became a distinguishable shape. Soon, the hovercraft landed about a hundred feet from the cave entrance.

The craft was about forty feet long, and twenty feet wide. It was painted black and had the Yamamoto family crest painted on the sides. The windows were tinted black, obscuring any view of the person or people inside. The door opened, sliding up inside the roof.

The two Xenomorphs and the human girl looked on as, one by one, two figures clad in black kimono climbed out of the vehicle. From their vantage point, Adelicia could see that one was a male and one was clearly female.

_**"Shadows…"**_ Makoto said quietly.

They both walked to another door in the rear of the vehicle and waited. In a moment, the door opened and a foot protruded from the inside of the vehicle, followed by the man who could only be Hoshi Yamamoto. He walked up to the two others and began to walk toward the cave.

He was an old man; in his sixties at least, with neat white hair and dressed in kimono like the other two, but Adelicia could tell by looking that his was of a far higher quality; black silk, with silver Japanese writing on the left part of the front. He carried a cane, but the girl hardly though of him as being like the old people in her apartment; frail, slow and tired.

"Ah, Makoto! It's been quite a while since we've seen each other last, hasn't it?" he said, when he reached the three. The two people with him, whom Adelicia now took to be some sort of bodyguards, looked suspiciously at the Xenomorphs, but did nothing. They were so inconspicuous it was suspicious; the man was about five foot six, with short brown hair and brown eyes. The woman was a little shorter than the man, and was Japanese, like Hoshi, but her hair, which was quite short, was kept back by a black headband.

_**"Hello, Hoshi. I wish we could have met on better terms. Our hive has been a bit on edge since the…shall we call it an incident…that occurred earlier. Shisome above all wants to speak with you."**_ The male said, rather formally.

"In a moment, to be sure." He said, then turned to Adelicia.

"And it's nice to meet you, young lady." He said kindly. Adelicia blushed.


	25. Talking Things Through

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Okay, I have a new poll on my profile, so please vote!

Starting Over

Part 25

**Talking Things Through**

_**"So that's the thick of it; we told you everything we know."**_ Shisome said.

Hoshi and the two Shadows had been led to the Queen's chamber and told of the recent events. The old man listened quietly as the massive Xenomorph spoke, while the two others stood over to one side, looking nervously at the many Xenos gathered around. They had brought a chair for the old man from the hovercraft, and he sat by while everything was told to him.

"So…someone was using my company to ship Xenomorph eggs…" Yamamoto said to himself.

_**"Yes, and they happened to come here…"**_ Makoto said, glancing at Adelicia.

_**"If I didn't know better, I'd say that this wasn't just a coincidence." **_Shisome said.

"Yes; first Miss Blackwood brings them here, then the men arrive here with Xenomorph eggs…it's just too strange. I mean, out of all the planets in this system, why Pluvia?" Adelicia said.

"You're right; it is just too strange to be a mere coincidence. I'll have to look into this…matter…personally." Hoshi said.

_**"Yes, and while you're "looking into it", others could be bringing eggs to this planet as well! Hoshi, I am forever grateful to you for your part in helping us, but I WILL NOT tolerate other hives here!"**_ Shisome said.

"And you can believe that I will investigate this, but you cannot expect me to find out all there is to this in a day! Whoever had those eggs before the crew of the thief ship wanted to make sure that they weren't found by the authorities; which means that they'll be even more careful next time." The old man retorted.

"Something's bothering me about this; did the person or people who had those eggs before give them to the ship's crew, or did they just happen to steal them?" Adelicia asked. The question had been bugging her for a while now.

_**"That is something I, too, wish to know. If the eggs were stolen, why didn't they come looking for them? Our eggs seem to be quite valuable to you humans, and I doubt that they were easy to get, so wouldn't they try to track them down?" **_Makoto asked.

"If they were truly stolen, then yes; I do believe they would have come looking for them. But, it's been some time since they were stolen, and no one's come looking, so that can only mean the eggs were given to the crew of your ship, Adelicia." The old man said thoughtfully.

"But why?" the girl asked.

"To sell, probably; men like that probably wouldn't try to use the Xenomorphs as weapons, it'd be too risky. They might have been trying to get the eggs to hatch on a planet, then go to that planet and use that hive for their own ends. It's the only explanation I can come up with at the moment." Hoshi said.

_**"Give our eggs away…then use hive for their own purposes…humans are depraved!"**_ Lee hissed from above them. The female was on the ceiling above her mother, who looked up at her, then nodded.

_**"Some are, yes; but Hoshi, Kurai and Taki have been very good to Makoto and I, so be grateful to them always."**_ Shisome said sternly.

_**"Yes, Mother" **_Lee said.

"Anyway; what do we do now?" Adelicia asked.

"You may come with me back to Earth, if you wish, and be free of this whole thing." Hoshi offered.

_**"No!"**_ Makoto snapped, before the girl could even open her mouth.

_**"Makoto!"**_ Shisome said, and the Praetorian lowered his head, _**"if she wishes to go, she may!"**_

_**"But, my Queen-"**_ he started, but was cut off by a hiss from the female.

_**"It's her choice."**_ She said simply, then looked at Adelicia.

"I…I'll have to think about it." Adelicia said quietly. Makoto gave Hoshi a "look" then simply stood and walked out of the room. The old man cleared his throat.

"Very well; I'll be leaving in a few days, but let's get back to the matter at hand. I am going to find out who's responsible for this, and I'm going to take care of it. Believe me; someone will pay _dearly_ for using my company for this!" With this, Hoshi rose from his chair and prepared to leave.

"My ship is a couple of miles north from here; come see me if you need to." He said, before turning and leaving the room, his Shadows quickly picked up the chair and followed him without a word.

_**"So…we are forced to wait while he investigates…"**_ Shisome mused.

_**"What else can we do? There's no way we can find any information on our own, Mother."**_ Lee said, jumping down on her mother's shoulder and gently nuzzling her.

_**"I know, Lee; but I hate waiting like this! I hate waiting while the humans decide our fate! Even now, some human could be gathering more eggs to send here, or they could be coming to look for the ones they already did! Our hive could be at risk and we can do nothing!"**_ The Queen cried, and her daughter moved to comfort her. Several of her other children came into the room, crooning softly to soothe their mother, while Adelicia looked on, unsure of what to do.

_**"Adelicia,"**_ Shisome said, turning to the girl. _**"I think that you should find Makoto and talk to him. I read his mind, and he'd very disturbed about the possibility of your leaving."**_ The girl nodded and went to follow the Praetorian.

Shisome sighed; all this stress had made her tired. Her children continued to give words of comfort and encouragement, making her feel a little better. The Queen curled up and laid her head down, intending to sleep. The others slowly began to draw away quietly so she could get some peace. The female wondered what would become of her family now. Everything had been going so well…

_"So of course things must go wrong."_ She thought, rolling over to face the cave wall.


	26. Selfish

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 26

**Selfish**

"Makoto! Makoto, where are you?" Adelicia called, looking around the cave.

She had been looking for nearly thirty minutes, but hadn't found him yet. He'd seemed so…distraught when she'd said she'd think about going back to Earth, and she just wanted to comfort him.

"Oh, come on! You're acting like a fool!" She yelled, her voice echoing off the walls.

_**"Oh? I'm not the one leaving."**_ The Xenomorph's voice got her attention, and she turned to see him crawling out of a tunnel in the ceiling. He dropped to the floor heavily and strode toward her, his tail swishing in agitation.

"I never said that I was leaving; I just said I'd think about it." She said, reaching out to touch Makoto's head. The male backed away, and Adelicia put her hand down.

"Makoto…" the girl said quietly.

_**"It's the same thing; you're going to go back and I'll probably never see you again!"**_ he said.

"Makoto, please! Did you really expect me to live my life out here? To grow old and die here? I just need to think this over; I have a chance to try to get some of my old life back!"

_**"And what's wrong with your new one? What's wrong with living here with Shisome and…and me?"**_ he asked.

"Nothing; I care for both of you; and the rest of the hive, but I need to at least think about going back."

_**"Adelicia…I just want…to try and make a life for us…"**_ Makoto said.

The girl was taken aback. She'd known for awhile that she and Makoto had an attraction to one another, but for some reason, was having trouble admitting it. "Just…give me a little while to think, please? I could never…live with myself if I just said yes to either one of my options." She said.

_**"I suppose…I was being unfair; expecting you to just say that you wanted to stay…but I…I love you…as much as one of my species can."**_ He admitted, a little shyly.

Adelicia's eyes widened; she'd never expected him to admit…this! She'd never had a real boyfriend on Earth…there had been a boy, and she had thought that she was in love once, but that had ended badly. She'd never thought that she'd hear another person tell her those words again…especially not a Xenomorph.

She was happy, but sad as well; he'd told her something wonderful, but it complicated things more than she'd ever thought possible. If she left, she'd always feel guilty about abandoning him, but if she stayed, she'd always wonder about what her life would have been like on Earth. Could she have a normal life on Earth, knowing that she'd caused Makoto such pain by leaving?

_"No…I'd hate myself for hurting him."_ she thought to herself. Then there was no more to it; she'd stay.

_**"Adelicia, I-"**_ Makoto began. The silence that had transpired had made him as uncomfortable as her, and he needed to break it.

"I'll stay…I'll stay here…with you." She said.

Makoto's head perked up, and he began to purr loudly. He felt so happy right now! Despite the business with the eggs, he felt more at ease than he had in a while.

_"She'll stay…she'll stay with me!"_ he thought happily.

"So, I'm planning to go to Mr. Yamamoto's ship tomorrow…I'd like to see what it looks like. I'll tell him my decision then." She said, looking away.

_**"I'll go with you; it's dangerous for you to go all that way alone."**_ Makoto volunteered.

"All right then; bright and early tomorrow morning, we'll go there together." She said.

_**"Very well, but I need to inform Shisome. I'll go do that now, while you make whatever preparations you need."**_ Makoto said. Adelicia nodded and headed to her room, while Makoto went off to talk to Shisome.

_"I'm staying on Pluvia…forever…"_ Adelicia thought as she walked.

_**"She's staying here with me!"**_ Makoto thought as he crawled through the tunnels in the ceiling and walls.

At last he made his way to Shisome's chamber, and found his Queen surrounded by her children. They'd apparently gone out hunting for her, as she was tearing large chunks of meat out of one of the large bovine creatures. Makoto waited patiently until she was finished.

"Ah, Makoto; what is it? Did you speak to Adelicia?" Shisome asked.

Makoto somehow knew that his Queen knew that he had, but told her what had happened anyway, along with his and Adelicia's plans to go to Hoshi's ship the next day.

"You may go; but tell me more about your talk with Adelicia…tell me what you said." She said, cocking her head.

The Praetorian gave her a brief overview of the conversation that took place earlier, and she listened quietly.

"So…is she staying _with_ you…or _because _of you?" she asked.

"What do you mean, my Queen? How did you know about-" Makoto asked, perplexed.

"I was awakened by Lee asking if I was hungry. I heard you two and couldn't help but listen, but never mind that. You're quite crafty, getting her to stay here." Shisome mused.

"With all respects, I did no such thing, my Queen." Makoto said.

"You pretty much forced her to stay here with you."

"No! She's free to leave if she wishes it." Makoto said.

"Physically, yes; I'll not keep her here, but she's decided to stay here for you, Makoto. She doesn't want to hurt you by leaving, even at the cost of her own happiness. It's actually rather selfish of you."

"Selfish? How? I merely expressed my wish that she stay here with me…with the hive." he said.

"You expressed yourself, true, but what you expressed was a cruel choice. Adelicia could return to Earth, but she'd always feel bad about leaving you. She could stay here, but she'd always wonder about what would have been if she'd gone back. You told her you loved her, and that's good, but you told her at the exact wrong time."

"But she was thinking of leaving!" Makoto cried.

"She didn't have time to think, Makoto; you should be proud, you stopped her from leaving before there was the slightest indication of it." Shisome said. The Queen suddenly yawned; she'd been interrupted while sleeping, and wanted to get back to it. Makoto took the hint and left the room, feeling truly ashamed of himself.


	27. A Long Night

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 27

A Long Night

Makoto walked through the tunnels, his long tail dragging a little. He wondered how he could have done such a thing to Adelicia. He had practically forced her to stay with him; what kind of relationship would that be? It was getting late, and so he went into the large room with the other Xenomorphs; he didn't feel that he deserved to sleep in Adelicia's room at the moment. Sighing, he curled up in a corner and waited for the others to join him. They came soon enough, and within ten minutes, the whole place was rife with the sounds of the strange snores/hisses that Xenos sometimes made in their sleep. Occasionally, someone would talk in their sleep, and sometimes someone would roll over onto someone else and small growls could be heard.

Makoto rolled over onto his back, his tail bumping into Lee, who gave a half-growl before moving a little away. The room was the perfect size; large enough for everyone to have space, but small enough for them to be near each other, which was what most Xenomorphs preferred.

He had a restless sleep that night. Dreams of war with another hive filled his mind. These soon switched over to dreams of Adelicia, who had grown old on Pluvia. She told him that she wished she could have returned to Earth when she had the chance, and that her life had been miserable with him. She said that she always felt like his prisoner, rather than his mate. His sadness in the dream carried over to reality, and he woke up whimpering slightly.

_Meanwhile…_

Adelicia had a hard time sleeping as well. She tossed and turned on her small pallet, but couldn't get comfortable. Her room felt so lonely without her Praetorian friend. Sighing, she turned over in bed and looked at the wall. She was looking forward to going to Hoshi's ship tomorrow, but right now, she just needed to think about what had transpired between her and Makoto earlier. She really did wish to remain with the Xenomorphs, but would it have been truly awful for her to want to go to Earth for a little while? She'd been away from her home planet for over a year, and would at least like to know what had been going on in the world in the time she had been gone.

She couldn't help but feel a little angry at Makoto for backing her into a corner like he had. _"He could have at least given me an hour or two."_ She thought, rolling over onto her back.

"_But then again, he was likely feeling threatened by the prospect of me leaving him." _

Adelicia rolled back over onto her side. _"Wait; did he think that I was going to leave him and not come back? My, he is insecure, isn't he?"_ She laughed at the thought of Makoto having such…human…problems. To think that he had such a creature could feel such things.

"_**But he does; and I'm surprised that you could think such things, Adelicia." **_

It was Shisome; she had apparently heard Adelicia's thoughts and couldn't resist commenting on them.

"All I'm saying is that I just can't picture Makoto with the same issues that humans have." The girl defended.

"_**What issues? Jealousy, fear, selfishness, anxiety…love?"**_ the Queen questioned. _**"What would ever make you think that we did not share these things with you?"**_

"It's just that you…you don't…you're not human." Adelicia tried to put it into words.

"_**Do you mean that because we don't **_**look**_** human, that we are incapable of emotions? I find that incredibly offensive, Adelicia! Makoto may not be human, but he does love you…deeply. We can think and feel like any human can; I suppose it's just easier for your race to believe that we are evil monsters bent on their destruction. You know; Kurai left Earth with a being who was neither human nor one of us, but I sensed the beginnings of love within him. He was confused at this, and a little afraid, but he was no more or less complex than any human I've ever met; and neither are we. Makoto shares the same emotions that Kurai's companion did; and he is not human."**_

"I guess you're right; It's just that I've never really thought of Xenomorphs as having emotions. I've always heard that you were basically running on instinct; with only the Queen having some sense of free will. Makoto is…so different from anything I expected; he's nicer to me than any human I've ever known since my family died. He listens to me and respects my opinions, he doesn't make me feel uncomfortable or scared…but I just can't imagine a future with him right now…I mean…could we really live together for the rest of our lives here?" Adelicia pondered aloud.

"_**Of course you can; you can stay here as long as you want!"**_ Shisome replied.

"But I…I want to do things in my life that I just can't do here." The girl said, sighing.

"_**Such as?"**_ Shisome asked. The Queen was curious as to what the girl wanted to do.

"Like…get married, get a little house…have children. I can't do any of those things as long as I'm living here."

"_**No; I suppose not…You wanted children?"**_ The Queen asked.

"Well, yes; I love children; but I don't think that Makoto can help me with that one."

"_**No, he can't. In the first place, the only way you could bare a child by our species is…well, you get the idea."**_

"Let's…put that idea aside." Adelicia said quickly.

"_**Indeed; we aren't meant to breed with your race in that sense. And anyway; I'm sorry, Adelicia, but I'm afraid that even if you two could somehow produce children…I just couldn't allow it."**_ Shisome tried to choose her words carefully.

"Huh?"

"_**I am the only one here who is able to produce eggs; I cannot have any competition. I'm not saying that any child of yours could be any sort of threat to us, but…well…it's just instinct, I guess. I'm sorry; but that's just my nature, Adelicia."**_ The female explained. She didn't want to hurt the human's feelings, but she had to make the rules clear. A Queen was the only fertile member of a hive; unless there were some very special circumstances, that is, and the idea of another female of the hive besides her bearing young was so foreign to her that she could barely comprehend it.

The girl laughed quietly. "I thought you'd say something like that. You know; in a beehive, if another fertile Queen is born, the two fight to the death."

"_**I don't think we'll have to go that far. This probably won't be an issue; there are no other humans you could mate with on this planet."**_ Shisome reassured.

"What about if I adopted?" the girl asked hopefully. She wasn't terribly picky about whether the child was hers or not.

"_**I…we'll see, but wait awhile before you think of such a thing; you're not even capable of really defending yourself without Makoto or another of the hive around. Why would you ever wish to put a child in such danger?"**_

"I don't mean now; I'm still getting used to this place, and I do plan to learn how to defend myself; I just want to be a mother before I get old."

"_**How old are you now?"**_ Shisome asked.

"Almost nineteen."

"_**Ha! You're almost too young to consider such things! Besides; Kurai was a little older than you are now, and she told me that a family was the farthest thing from her mind at the time. Why not think about what you want to do?"**_ the Queen suggested. Adelicia waited a moment before speaking.

"What I want? My mother and her mother and her mother's mother were all wives and mothers…they were told from an early age that that was a woman's place in life… Ever since I was young, I remember my mother teaching my sisters and I how to be good to our husbands and children, while my father taught the boys how to be good husbands and providers for their wives. She'd actually been trying to get me to go with one of the neighborhood boys before… anyway; I never actually imagined something other than getting married and having a family."

"_**It seems to me that your mother didn't have many choices…but you do. Look at it this way; you have a chance at one of the most interesting lives imaginable."**_

"But Shisome; you're a mother." Adelicia pointed out.

"_**Yes, but I have no mate; I don't need one, and I am the head of my household."**_ The other female said proudly.

"I guess…I could have a lot of free time…but I really would like to have at least one child before I get too old…"

"_**You've many years before that is too occur, if Kurai's information is correct. Anyway, have you even spoken to Makoto about your desires?"**_

"No; but I'm sure he'll support what I want to do." Adelicia said.

"_**Not if what you want to do means mating with someone else."**_ Lee joined the conversation.

"_**Lee; what are you doing here?"**_ Shisome asked. Adelicia gathered that Lee was in her mother's chamber at the moment.

"_**I awoke with a need to relieve myself. When I got back, I came to make sure you were sleeping well, and I couldn't help but overhear."**_ The young female said cheerfully.

"_**I'm sure you could have, Lee, but you do make a point about Makoto." **_The female's mother said flatly.

"_**Oh, mother; don't be angry…I just meant that no male wants to think of another coupling with his female, is all. I don't know if Makoto mated Adelicia yet or not…did he?"**_ this last bit was directed at the girl.

"_**Come now Lee! The whole hive would have known if he had!"**_ this was a male voice.

"_**Valiant, is that you?"**_ Lee asked. Adelicia sighed; this was turning into a group debate.

"_**Yes, it's me."**_ The male answered.

"_**How do you mean, the whole hive would have known if he'd mated her?"**_ another male voice inquired.

"_**Feather; you're up too?"**_ Shisome asked, she sounded surprised and slightly annoyed.

"_**It's quite simple, my friends; if Makoto had mated Adelicia, we'd known because she would almost certainly have had noticeable trouble walking for awhile." **_Valiant pointed out. It sounded like a joke, but he said it in such an offhanded tone. Adelicia's face turned a bright red at the image that popped into her head.

"_**That's about the size of it…almost." **_Someone said, and hissing laughter could be heard. Adelicia buried her face under the pillow.

"_**GO TO BED!"**_ Shisome commanded, and the night grew silent once again.


	28. Rain

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**It's been a while, huh? I'm back now and the story's gonna continue.**

**One more thing; I would really like to do a romance kind of thing involving Lee, but I can't pair her with any member of the hive, as far as I know. So here's the problem; wouldn't Xenomorphs of the same hive be considered siblings? Seriously, if so, that would be just too weird for me to write, but I'd really like to see some of the members of the hive find mates or something…as soon as I put some more females in here… Honestly, I really need some feedback here, because this is actually been bugging me for a while now…**

Starting Over

Part 28

**Rain**

The next morning dawned grey and cloudy. None of the hive except for Adelicia and Makoto had ever experienced rain before, and all of them, including Shisome, crowded around the cave's entrance, unsure of whether or not to venture out into the drizzle. Adelicia was just as apprehensive, but for a different reason; she had heard stories of planets that were almost habitable, except for the poisonous rain that fell from the sky. After a few hours, the rain still hadn't let up, and Adelicia decided that if they were going to see Hoshi, it'd be now or never. Taking a breath, she worked her way through the crowd of Xenos and stepped out into the rain.

She waited for a few minutes and, seeing that she wasn't going to melt or burst into flames, gave the rest of the hive the okay to come outside. They did, and were soon holding out their hands and using their smaller mouths to nip at the fat raindrops. Shisome was having fun; running here and there, and splashing around in some of the larger puddles. Adelicia was reminded that the Xeno was, despite her usual maturity, physically younger than the human. The girl thought about how brief a Xenomorph's "childhood" was, and about her own youth. It amazed her that Shisome could be a mother and be less than four months old, if Makoto's interpretation of human time was right.

"_**Aren't the two of you going to see Hoshi?"**_ Shisome said a few minutes later. She had been rolling around in a very large puddle, and was absolutely covered in thick brown mud.

"_**Oh, yes…"**_ Makoto replied, stepping forward. He'd been trying to explain to Feather where rain came from, but was having little luck in the matter. Telling the Runner that he'd get back to him, the Praetorian walked out of the cave to join his human companion. He'd noticed that she'd been very quiet today, and was intent on getting her alone to speak with her. If there was one thing that a Xenomorph hive lacked, it was privacy. The trouble was, a Queen could listen in on any conversation that was going on in her hive, but no other member could pry into the Queen's private thoughts. Ergo, no member of the hive was truly able to keep their thought to themselves–unless Shisome allowed it, of course. The lucky thing was, a Queen could only read minds up to a certain distance; about a mile or so…at least a young one like Shisome, who was just beginning to realize her abilities, so they would be safe to speak to one another more freely.

The two set out; watchful for any more of the large birds like the one that had gotten Adelicia. One of the Drones had reported seeing a large shadow passing over earlier in the day, and the two were in no hurry to repeat the events of a few days earlier. Luck was on their side, however, and there were no signs of the birds. Just in case, however, the two of them stayed near the edge of the woods, where they could take shelter in the trees if need be. Makoto could likely handle such a foe on the ground, but he was no match for something that flew in the air; especially when he had Adelicia to worry about.

They were making good time; an hour had passed and they had gotten almost a mile before Adelicia had to stop and rest. Her shoes were beginning to wear out from years of use (They'd been a hand-me-down from one of her older siblings, and weren't new when they were first bought) and her socks, which had quite a few holes in them, were beginning to rub blisters on her feet. After a few minutes of soaking her feet in a nearby stream, Adelicia put her shoes back on and was about to begin walking again, when Makoto gently lifted her up into his arms and began to walk. Her weight was nothing to him, and in fact they made far better time than when they were both walking. This got Adelicia to thinking; was she an asset to the hive, as Shisome had said, or was she a liability?

As they went along, Adelicia thought back to the previous night's conversation with Shisome. She wanted children someday, but Makoto… what did he want?"

She needed to know. Turning to the male, she took a deep breath.

"_**Adelicia; we need to talk."**_ Makoto said.

The human let out the breath and looked up at the Praetorian. He stopped walking and gently set her down. Makoto led Adelicia into the nearby forest. The trees were just thick enough to keep the rain from falling on them, but thin enough to let the light through to them.

Adelicia sat on a fallen log, and Makoto got into a more comfortable position in front of her and breathed in deeply before speaking.

"_**I realize that I was being…let us say, more than a little unreasonable earlier."**_ He said, looking to one side.

"_**But I wasn't trying to be cruel…I just…care about you, Adelicia. I suppose, though, that it's no excuse for the way I acted. Look; if you want to go to Earth, go, I won't stop you."**_ He said, lowering his head in defeat.

"It's not like I want to go away forever; I just want a chance to take care of some things. I want to go see some of my old friends…visit my old neighborhood…and my family's graves…I honestly never thought that I'd ever see Earth again; I figured that I'd probably die while on that ship…but now I really have the chance to see my old home again. I would come back, Makoto; to Pluvia…to the hive…to you…" with this, she reached out and gently touched the crest on Makoto's head, making the male purr slightly.

"_**So you've made up your mind to go back?"**_ he asked.

"Not entirely; but there is something I do want…a lot." She said. Now was the time to tell him; if she didn't do it at this moment, she never would.

"_**What is it? If it's anything in my power, I'll do anything to fulfill your desires."**_ He said, raising his head.

"Well, then this is going to be difficult for you to hear, Makoto. I've been talking to Shisome lately, and I've come to a conclusion about my life. Ever since I was a little girl, all I've wanted was to be a good wife."

"_**All right; you mean a mate, yes? A permanent arrangement with a male?"**_ he asked, for some reason, he wasn't liking where this conversation was going, although he did want to be with Adelicia…very much so.

"Pretty much; but I've also wanted to be…well…a mother." She said, looking up at the Praetorian.

"_**Adelicia…I'm afraid I can't help you in that area… I mean, we can mate physically, I think, but I can't–"**_

"I know; and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to go back to Earth at first. I might have been able to…find a male there…"

Now he _knew_ he didn't like where this was going.

"_**Another male? But you…we…have you talked to Shisome about this?"**_ he stammered.

"Yes, and she said that she'd think about letting me adopt a child. I guess that's my only option. She said that only the Queen is able to breed–"

"_**That's right."**_ The Praetorian said.

"and she said that I should talk to you about it, too. She said that the idea of me and another male wouldn't likely go over too well with you."

"_**She was right; the thought of you with someone else makes me cringe."**_ He agreed.

"But my adopting a child would solve everything; Shisome's dominance wouldn't be threatened, I wouldn't have to be with another male, and I'd get a child, everyone's happy. All I need is your and Shisome's okay on the whole affair…" she said.

"_**Adelicia; my decision is going to be the same as Shisome's. I won't go against her wishes."**_ Makoto said.

"But if she says yes?" the girl asked.

"_**Then I won't speak a word against the proposition. Have you thought about where you'll even get a child? They don't just give them away to people who ask for them, do they? Because if they do, you're better off staying away from Earth altogether."**_

"I'll figure something out, and Hoshi might help me if I explain the situation; he seems like an understanding person." Adelicia said cheerfully.

"_**I wish I had your optimism…" **_Makoto said. He then stretched his body and looked in the direction Hoshi had told him his ship was in. The rain was really coming down now.

"_**Come; we need to get there soon, I don't know what sort of creatures come out in the rain on this planet."**_ Adelicia was then picked up, and the Praetorian kept running. The two were silent; each trapped in their own thoughts.

Soon, the two of them could see the blurry outline of a ship in the distance. It was then that the rain began to absolutely pour. Makoto put on a burst of speed and sprinted toward the fuzzy blur in the distance. Adelicia wrapped her arms around Makoto's neck and put her face close to his chest. He wasn't nearly as soft as a human would be, but he was warmer than the cool air, and it was pleasant.

At last they were standing in front of the large ship. Adelicia looked up from Makoto's chest and gasped. The enormous craft was bigger than a football field, and state of the art.

The vessel was made of sleek black metal, and had the Yamamoto family fan crest on one side in silver and purple, with some Japanese kanji underneath it. Lights could be seen in the ship's enormous windows, and Adelicia couldn't help but stare up in absolute awe at the magnificence of the craft; she had never seen anything so grand in her entire life.

"All right; we found the place, now the question remains…how do we get in?" Adelicia asked the Praetorian holding her. The Xeno had his mouth open as well, and Adelicia sincerely hoped that it was just the rain dripping onto her and not his drool.

Her question was answered in the form of a large rectangle of the ship's side sliding up and a ramp extending down to the ground. A patch of warm yellow light was cast onto the ground where they stood, making their shadows stand out sharply in the rain-darkened daylight.

In a moment, a female Shadow came into view. She opened an umbrella and walked gracefully down the ramp toward the pair standing in the rain. When she got to the bottom, they got a good look at her.

She was in her early twenties, with fair skin and slightly slanted green eyes, possibly coming from Asian descent. Her hair was dyed a bright blue, but she was wearing the same black kimono that the other two shadows had worn; except she let hers open a little, showing some of her ample cleavage.

"Hey! You must be Adelicia!" she said in an almost unnaturally cheerful voice.

"Come on inside; Mr. Yamamoto is expecting you!" Turning around, she trotted up the ramp; almost bouncing out of her uncommonly tight kimono.

Adelicia gently nudged Makoto to let her down and followed the Shadow up the ramp, with the Praetorian following. Something about that girl didn't stick well with him; she seemed too happy…and her voice was so annoyingly high that it would have made his eyes twitch if he had any; Xenomorphs didn't really like sounds that were too high-pitched. With his tail swishing in agitation, he followed his companion up the ramp and into the ship.


	29. Tea

**Disclaimer-Do not own it.**

Starting Over

Part 29

**Tea**

Makoto and Adelicia were led into a grand parlor that was done in a Japanese style. There were paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling, which gave the room a soft glow, and on the floor were several soft-looking cushions on which to sit. There were paper screens for doors, and several gorgeous and expensive-looking paintings were hanging on the walls.

"Oooookay! Wait right here and Mr. Yamamoto will be in to see you shortly! You might want to make yourself more presentable; you and your…pet?" the blue-haired woman said.

Makoto gasped at this and rose to his full height of almost eight feet; his tail arching behind him. Adelicia could sense the coming storm and stepped in quickly.

"He's not my pet; he's my…friend." She said. Makoto gave her a look that was hard to read. The female Shadow cocked her head slightly.

"Friend? Well…I suppose some people find companionship in odd places. Anyway, I'll go get Mr. Yamamoto." She said. Turning, she began to walk out of the room. Before she got out the door, she suddenly stopped and turned back to them.

"Oh, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself properly! My name's ******Meisai Urami;********I'm kind of new here, but I'm learning a lot from Mr. Yamamoto!" She then bowed, giving the two of them a perfect view down her kimono, then turned to leave.**

**"****And I'm Adelicia Jones, and this is Makoto." The human said, while the Praetorian nodded in acknowledgment.**

**"_I don't like her."_******** Makoto said flatly.**

**"****Come on; she's not that bad." Adelicia said. "But she's right; I do need to make myself more presentable." With this, she began trying to get some of the water out of her clothes without getting it on the expensive-looking floor. Quickly, she took a comb out of her pocket and combed and re-braided her long hair. She then did her best to smooth the wrinkles out of her outfit. **

It didn't take long before footsteps could be heard outside the door, and in a moment Hoshi appeared, flanked by the two Shadows from before. The man bowed respectfully and the two Shadows followed suit, before going back to their original stiff positions. Adelicia couldn't help but think that these people must be very boring at a party.

"Welcome to my ship, _The Adamant_; the fastest and most luxurious model of ship on the market at the moment. Please; sit and make yourself comfortable, we have much to talk about. Momo; please tell Meisai to bring our guests some tea." This was directed at the female Shadow, who bowed and left the room. She soon came back and told her employer that she task was accomplished.

"Now then; have you been well? This weather is absolutely dreadful; I could barely see my hand in front of my face when I went out this morning for all the rain. Is the weather this bad at the hive?" he asked, by way of pleasantry.

"_**Not when we left; it was drizzling, but it got worse the further we walked."**_ Makoto said, curling up on the floor. Someone must have turned on the heat, because the room had gotten comfortably warm. Adelicia's clothes and hair were drying quickly, making her feel even more comfortable.

"Ah, I see…I do hope that the rest of your hive has gotten in safely." Hoshi said.

In a few minutes, the woman named Meisai came back with two cups of tea and a teapot. Once again, everyone was given the treat of a view down her kimono as she set the tray between the old man and his guests. Winking at Hoshi, she stood back up and began to walk out of the room. Before she got to the door, Momo spoke for the first time.

"Meisai; you've forgotten a third cup."

"Oh? Did you want some tea, ******Senpai? I'd be glad to bring you a cup, of course." Meisai asked, cocking her head slightly.**

**"****You know damn well we have three guests, ****__****baka*********! And either close your kimono or tie your obi in the front*; this is a professional environment, not the red-light district!"**

******Hoshi's eyebrows went wide, as did those of the male shadow, who made a "I'm glad I'm not in the middle of that" face.**

**"****Momo; what's gotten to you? You're usually so quiet and refined." Hoshi said, turning to the Shadow, who had her hands clenched into fists in frustration. Her face was getting red, and her black hair looked as though it was about to stand on end in anger at the blue-haired woman in the room.**

**"****Well, if you're going to make such a fuss, I suppose I could find a dog dish somewhere… We both know that this…****__****creature********…can't drink from a glass like people can. I was only trying not to offend it." The woman reasoned in a somewhat mocking tone.**

**"****IF YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO OFFEND IT, DON'T TREAT IT LIKE IT'S NOT HERE!" Momo yelled, and Hoshi stood up quickly."**

**"****LADIES!" He shouted, "Please, calm down! Momo, please try to control yourself, and Meisai, go find another cup for our Xenomorph guest. Both of you; I won't have you referring to this creature as "it" again! His name is Makoto, and you will address him as such, am I clear?" His voice had gone from loud to a quiet, but no less serious, tone.**

**"****Yes, Yamamoto-san; and please forgive my behavior, it was uncalled for." Momo said, bowing. She then gave an apologetic bow to Makoto, who nodded in acceptance.**

**"****Yeah…and me, too…sorry…****__****Makoto********." Meisai said, but she sounded somehow like saying the Praetorian's name left a bad taste in her mouth. She walked out of the room and returned with another cup, before bowing stiffly and leaving.**

"Well…that was…interesting." Hoshi said, sitting down and pouring tea for the three of them. Adelicia was surprised to find that Japanese tea was far from the English tea she was used to, but it was tasty, nonetheless. Makoto had a hard time at first; not being used to drinking out of a glass, for one thing, and the hot tea was something that he never would have partaken of under normal circumstances.

"Have you found any new leads, Mr. Yamamoto?"Adelicia asked at length.

"Unfortunately, no; but I do have an idea of how I can get started." The old man said, taking a sip of the tea.

"Oh? Anything we can do to help?" the girl asked.

"Actually yes; you can take me to your ship. I have a hunch that there may be records of some kind there that might help me out."

"That's right! The thieves were pretty good at keeping records of their plunder…but they were also careful. From what I remember, the records from each of their thefts are kept in the computer, but are protected by a password. Only the captain knew the password…but…"

"_**But he's long dead now." **_Makoto finished.

"No matter; the Shadows are pretty good at computers…we'll have those records soon enough." Hoshi waved Makoto's comment off.

"So do we go now or…?" Adelicia asked.

"No; the weather's far too bad now. We'll go as soon as it clears up outside. Speaking of, I would suggest that you spend the night on the ship; it's too dangerous and too late to venture back home now."

"Oh! Thank you, Mr. Yamamoto!" Adelicia said, before Makoto could reply.

"Very well; I don't like being away from my hive, but I'd rather Adelicia be safe." The Xenomorph said, nodding.

"All right, then; it's getting late, would you like to have dinner before Meisai shows you to your rooms?" Hoshi asked.

"That would be lovely." Adelicia said, and Makoto's stomach growled at the mention of food.

"I guess that's a yes. Momo, please show our guests to the dining hall?" The older man said, standing.

"Yes, Yamamoto-san." The woman said, before bowing and waiting for the duo to stand.

"Aren't you going to join them, Yamamoto-san?' the male Shadow asked.

"No, Sato; you don't eat much when you get to be my age. I'm going to take care of some business deals before I go to bed. Good night, Makoto and Adelicia." He said, bowing. He walked out of the room with the Shadow–now known to them as Sato–in tow. Momo then led the two of them to the dining hall.

The place was huge; it had a table that looked like at least fifty people could sit there. Adelicia sat down at the table, while Makoto sat beside her on the floor. Momo must have alerted the kitchen staff, because in a moment several cooks came out to offer the two meal choices. They were somewhat cautious around Makoto, but after some assurance from Adelicia, were brave enough to ask what he wanted. The human had a mincemeat pie, while the Praetorian made short work out of a side of fresh beef.

When they were finished and the bones from Makoto's meal had been cleared away, Meisai came in and led them to their rooms.

She took them down a series of hallways to the guest rooms. Adelicia and Makoto would be occupying two rooms which were joined by a large bathroom. When Makoto had been left to explore his room, Meisai took the human to hers.

The place looked more expensive than Adelicia's whole apartment building had been back on Earth. There was a fine, soft carpet on the floor, and a huge bed was in the middle. There was a large window for viewing the stars whilst in space, and several beautiful rugs on the floor and paintings on the wall. There was an assortment of furniture; a mahogany desk, a leather chair, and some sort of chez lounge that looked like it was upholstered in velvet. The sheets on the bed looked like satin, and the comforter was lined with some sort of down.

"My, it seems like you've been able to train that thing pretty well." A voice got her attention. Turning, she saw Meisai leaning against the wall.

"Ex-excuse me?" The girl said, a little confused.

"Oh, I only meant that you somehow managed to turn that beast into something resembling a pet."

"I already told you; he's not my pet. He's actually become a very good friend to me as of late."

"Really? Well, here's some food for thought; he may be sweet now, but one word from his Queen and you'll be dead before you can blink. From what I understand, you've been living in one of their hives…I'd try not to get on the Queen's bad side, if I were you."

"They'd never hurt me; they said so!" the girl burst out.

"Perhaps…but you never know. If experience has taught humanity anything, it's that these things have only one loyalty, and that's to their Queen." Meisai said, then left the room.

"It's not true…he'd never…" she couldn't bring herself to say it. Sitting down on the bed, she tried to push away Meisai's words. Momo came in soon after to give her a long pink nightgown to sleep in, and to tell her how to work the large tub in the bathroom, before leaving with a bow. Adelicia took a bath, then went to sit by the window.

A little noise shook her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see Makoto walking into the room, shutting the door behind him. The large Praetorian looked…out of place…in this room, a little scary, even. Though the girl had long ago gotten over being frightened of Makoto and the other members of the hive, thoughts of what he was and what he could do to her filled her head.

"_**Adelicia…is something wrong?" **_Makoto asked, walking closer to her. Reaching out, he gently touched her face, but drew his hand back when she flinched.

"Makoto…if I ask you a question, will you answer me honestly?" she asked, looking at the male, who made a little "huh?" noise.

"_**Of course, Adelicia; what do you want to know?"**_ he asked.

Adelicia took a deep breath; moment of truth time.

"If Shisome told you to, would you…would you kill me?" she asked.

Makoto drew back. _**"Adelicia…"**_ he said quietly. _**"What brought this up?" **_he asked.

"Never mind what brought it up; please just answer the question." The girl said, looking at the Xeno.

"_**Listen, the odds that Shisome would ever-"**_ he began

"Makoto, I need to know this…please?"

"_**Adelicia…don't put me in this situation…"**_

"Would you?"

"_**Adelicia…"**_

"Would you?"

"_**Please…" **_He was begging now.

"Makoto!"

"_**YES!"**_


	30. Malice

_**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**_

**Okay, so you've probably noticed that I'm doing a lot of work on Starting Over right now, but it's not just because The Insanity Continues is winding down–I'm going to do another sequel after that, don't worry–it's because the two stories will eventually cross over at various points later on. It's just that Shisome and Makoto have been on Pluvia for a little over a month, and if I'm right, Kurai and Taki have been on the Yautja ship for close to two. What I'm doing is setting this up so the times actually make sense. Thanks for to all my readers for their comments and encouragement. **

Starting Over

Part 30

**Malice**

"Wh-what? You'd really…?" the girl whispered in horror. Makoto's crested head was lowered almost to the floor. There was no describing the amount of pain and shame he was feeling right now.

"_**Adelicia…please…try to understand…"**_ he said.

"What's there to understand? I thought you cared for me!" she cried, jumping up. She started to cry, she couldn't help it.

Makoto hated seeing her cry, and tried to comfort her, only to have her step away fro him. He was hurt; they seemed to be getting along so well, and now this? She was acting the way all humans acted around his species now; frightened and disgusted.

"_**Adelicia…it's not that I want to…but Shisome's my Queen; I couldn't go against her wishes, that's just how my species is. She would never ask such a thing of me, though."**_ He tried once again to comfort her, only to have her look away from him.

"So, for your Queen, you'd kill me? You said you cared for me! What about Hoshi, and Kurai Blackwood; would you do the same to them if Shisome commanded you to?" she asked, but somehow knew what he would say.

"_**I DO care about you…very much…but it's just my nature to put my Queen before everything else; I thought you knew that!" he said.**_

"I knew you cared about her, but I never thought that you'd kill me for her!"

"_**You're acting as though she actually gave me that order! Honestly, you asked me a question and you're angry because you don't like the answer! It's very childish and unattractive of you! What was I supposed to say?"**_ he said, his voice getting louder in her head.

"You were supposed to say "No, I'd never do anything like that!" or something along those lines; you don't tell your girlfriend that you'd kill her; it's just…bad manners!"

"_**You…wanted me to lie?"**_ Makoto asked.

"No...I mean yes…I don't know, Makoto!" she said, turning away from him and crossing her arms, more in frustration than anger now. He saw an opportunity to perhaps end this fight, if he could just make her a little less angry with him…

"_**Adelicia, please…tell me what I have to do…to make things right between us again…we were doing all right before you asked me about this…tell me what you want me to do…"**_ he gently pressed his head against her back, an affectionate gesture and, finding that she didn't pull away this time, was able to nuzzle her neck in a place he knew would be ticklish. She giggled slightly, and he could sense that her anger was beginning to ebb. Now all he needed to do was to make her the same happy girl she was before all of this…

"Oh, stop it, you big baby!" the girl said, gently moving away.

"_**Come on…let me apologize to you for all this…"**_ he purred deeply.

"Makoto…" Adelicia laughed, as the huge male curled his tail around her waist and gently nipped at the sensitive areas of her neck.

"_**I can make it all right…"**_ he purred again. He proceeded to gently run his hands up and down her body, thinking that the night might end on a good note, after all.

"No…" she said, when the Praetorian's hand strayed too far. He was a little disappointed, but would do nothing without her permission, and removed his hand.

The caressing continued for a few minutes, until Adelicia sighed and gently pushed Makoto away. Sitting back down, she gently stroked his head, which he'd laid on her lap.

"I…I need to think about some things…she said, putting her head into her hand.

"_**Do you want me to leave?"**_ he asked, raising his head.

She nodded. "Just for a little while; there are a lot of things to think about."

"_**Very well…I understand."**_ He said, rising and walking to the door.

When he got into his own room, he slumped against the wall and slid down into a sitting position. Why did this have to happen? What could have possibly gotten into her head to make her ask a question like that? He felt restless; the stress of the fight, coupled with some leftover arousal from holding Adelicia meant that he wouldn't be sleeping for some time. The room was of a good size, but he needed to walk or run to get some of his frustration out.

Heading toward the door, he soon found himself in a long, carpeted hallway. Wishing that he'd paid more attention to where he was being led earlier, he chose a direction and began to walk.

On the way, he saw several Shadows, who looked at him a little suspiciously for a moment before being told by a comrade that he was currently enjoying Hoshi's hospitality. They would glance at him out of the corners of their eye before going about their business and letting him get on with his. He kept walking until he found himself in what looked like a training room of some kind. Thinking that he was alone, he sat down in the middle of the empty room and thought about what he'd do now. Would Adelicia choose to stay with the hive now? Would she go back to Earth? Shisome certainly wouldn't be too happy about that one… and what would his matriarch say when she was informed of, surely, the main reason why her friend was leaving?

He sighed; why did all these things have to happen? There was still the issue of Adelicia's wanting a child. Surely Shisome wouldn't allow that one to pass…would she? The idea of possibly being a father had never occurred to him in his entire life–it was just impossible. All other Xenomorphs besides the Queen were sterile…unless their were some very special circumstances, of course, but still…

"_She wants a…baby…"_ he thought to himself. There were so many reasons why the idea was absurd, but Makoto couldn't push the curiosity from his mind. What would it be like to help Adelicia raise a child? Perhaps this was what Shisome felt like when she thought about her own children… Still, he wouldn't go against Shisome's wishes; if she said no, it was final. It didn't matter what he wanted, what he thought, Shisome's word was absolute.

"_Adelicia's just going to have to understand that."_ he thought with finality. She was a member of their hive now; which meant that his Queen was hers now. She should be happy to accept Shisome's will.

"_If she were one of us, she'd see how foolish it looked; trying to argue with the Queen."_ He thought. Having a different opinion was fine; he had often disagreed with his mother, but when things came right down to it, he carried out her will neither question nor hesitation. The Queen's word was law, and Adelicia would simply have to be taught this truth.

Feeling better, he rose from his sitting position. His head rose sharply; was that footsteps? Looking in the direction of the door, he saw the female Shadow, Meisai, walking into the room. It didn't take her long to notice him, and she smirked, making his tail twitch. Though he couldn't really explain it, there was something that he hated about her.

"_**What do you want?"**_ he asked, trying his telepathy on her for the first time. Somehow, he didn't think that he wanted to talk to her, but something about her didn't sit right with him.

"Oh! You can speak with humans… Yes; I do remember hearing something about how your kind can use telepathy…interesting. I was going to practice in here, but I think that the room needs to be cleaned now…" she said.

He disregarded the insult.

"Why are you here? The kitchen's the other way, if you're still hungry; or did you make a meal out of one of the other Shadows?" Meisai asked, only half joking.

"_**No…but I could…easily…" **_Makoto said darkly. The woman looked disgusted.

"_**Actually I had a fight with the female I'm with and I needed some time to myself; do you know the way out of here? I want to run around a while."**_ He said. With any luck, she'd point him in the right direction, if for no other reason than to be rid of him for a while.

"_**A fight? Did she learn something that she didn't like?"**_ Meisai asked sweetly.

"_**Learn something… Wait! Did you have something to do with this?" **_he asked.

"Maaaaybe. But come on; all I was doing was spreading the truth. Did you deny what I told the girl, by the way?" the woman asked.

"HOW DARE YOU! What right do you have to interfere in our lives?" he cried. He was now thoroughly enraged, and was seriously thinking of making this Shadow disappear.

"I suppose I shouldn't…but should those Marines have destroyed your hive? Should Kurai Blackwood have freed you and your infant Queen from the museum? Then she let said Queen use her as a host… Really, aren't we all guilty of interference here…" She then giggled again.

"_**How…how do you know all of this?"**_ Makoto whispered, shocked.

"Never mind how I know it… all you need to know is that you, the girl, your hive, and everyone connected to this are going to die very soon. There are big plans in the works…so you are still needed, but as soon as you're no longer useful, you'll be disposed of…like a good pawn should be." Meisai said, strolling over to one side of the room.

"_**Pawn?**_ What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing…"

"_**That's it! I'm going to Hoshi about this! He'll set you straight!"**_ Makoto said.

"Are you, now? If I were you, I'd worry about the danger to your Queen!" Meisai said, before giggling and running out of the room.

"You might want to go check on your hive; who knows what kind of havoc has been going on there!" she called.

Makoto gasped, and began to frantically run through the ship, trying to find a way out.

"Makoto!"

Looking up, the Praetorian saw Adelicia standing in the hallway, looking frightened and confused.

"_**What is it? What's wrong?"**_ Makoto asked, his mind still on his hive.

"Hoshi just called into my room on the com; he said that there was an unknown ship in the area that was heading for your hive!" the girl said, and the two began to run together.

"Over here! Yamamoto-san is in here!" a female voice called. It was Momo; she had apparently been getting ready for bed before she had been called to duty, judging by the fact that her hair was disheveled, and she still had what looked like a facial mask on, and pink fuzzy slippers.

They were led to what looked like a computer room, where Hoshi was standing, along with about ten Shadows. Two of them were on the computer, while the rest of them were apparently guarding him.

"_**Hoshi; what's going on? How is my hive?"**_ Makoto asked frantically.

"We don't know at the moment; we're doing all we can to find out what's going on now." He said.

They could do nothing more than wait for a few minutes for the craft to land, then the Shadows set to work on getting some information on it.

"So?" Hoshi asked, taking a prompt from Makoto, who gently bumped his head against the old man's side.

"Sir, we're picking up some movement; it looks as though there are people disembarking… I think there are about five of them… They're going into the hive…" one of the Shadows on the computer said.

"_**They're invading the hive!"**_ Makoto cried, then began to try to find an exit to the outside.

"Calm down, Makoto!" Adelicia said, touching his shoulder. He hissed loudly and snapped at her hand, his silver teeth barely missing her fingers.

"_**I…I'm sorry…It's just that…I should be there to help them…to help my Queen." **_He said, taking Adelicia's hand in her own.

"It's all right…" she said quietly, accepting his apology.

"Wait; they're coming out! It looks as though they're carrying something…it appears to be a small case of some kind." The Shadow said.

"How are they seeing all this?" Adelicia asked, as Makoto began to pace the room restlessly.

"We put small cameras in key locations around your hive; they have an extremely long battery life and are made for areas with bad weather. To tell the truth, it was amusing to see the Xenos playing in the rain earlier." Momo explained, wiping some of the facial mask away with a cloth.

"They're…leaving!" the Shadow exclaimed. Everyone looked at the monitor to see that the people, who were in dark uniforms, were indeed boarding the small craft. In a moment, flames erupted from its engines and it rose into the air. A second later, several Xenomorphs ran out of the hive, screeching and jumping to try and damage the small ship, but were unsuccessful in their attempts. Soon, their angry shrieking quieted down and they hurried back into the hive.

"By the Buddha; what's going on here?" Hoshi asked, slumping into a nearby chair.


	31. The One That Got Away

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 31

**The One That Got Away**

"_**LET ME GO!"**_ Makoto cried, straining against Adelicia and the seven Shadows that were restraining him.

"Not until you bloody well calm down!" Adelicia said, her arms around the Praetorian's neck.

"_**I have to help my Queen!"**_ he cried, clawing at the floor, leaving rather large claw marks in the solid steel tiles.

"We can all help her if you'll just calm down long enough for me to think!" Hoshi said from Makoto's left. He had gotten up from his chair and was trying to reason with the Praetorian, whose instincts were screaming at him to help his matriarch and comrades.

"He's right; you can't be of any help if you're exhausted from fighting us!" Momo said, gripping Makoto's long tail tighter. She was wearing very thick leather gloves because of the sharp spines along his tail, but was having trouble due to the straining male. Makoto had communicated with her for the first time when he screeched at her to release his tail about fifteen minutes ago. She'd been a little taken aback at first, but her resolve won over and she held the appendage for all she was worth.

"_**I wouldn't be fighting you if you'd LET GO OF ME!"**_ Makoto hissed.

"Makoto; I've told the Shadows to get the hovercraft ready. We'll be leaving in a matter of minutes; can't you wait until then?"

Makoto hissed menacingly at him, his teeth somehow looking longer than before. The Shadows glanced at each other; Makoto may have been Hoshi's guest, but if he tried to do anything to the old man, they'd kill him instantly. Adelicia, seeing that he was up against some powerful instincts, took a chance and let go of his neck. The others, seeing that they would have to pick up her slack, grunted as the Praetorian strained even harder on their hold. The girl walked around to stand in front of the angry Xenomorph. She hoped this would work; she was the only one that Makoto wouldn't hurt–or at least the one that he was least likely to.

"Please…just give them time…they're on our side…" she soothed. Taking a bigger chance, she reached out with both hands and gently took Makoto's head in her hands. He seemed to calm down enough for the Shadows to stop holding him so tight.

"Sir!" Another Shadow, a man of about thirty, said, rushing into the room.

"What is it, Ichi?" Hoshi asked, addressing the newcomer.

"There's a Xenomorph outside; a little blue one. What would you like me to do with it?"

"Lee!" Adelicia said. Makoto seemed to calm down a little more.

"Let her in." Hoshi commanded. The Shadow bowed quickly and left the room, and in a moment came back to tell them that someone had been sent to show the female to where the others were.

Five minutes later, Lee came running into the room. She was soaking wet and out of breath, and fell to the floor, panting; her second mouth extended.

It took her a few moments to regain her breath, but after a good drink she was ready to tell her story.

Sitting up, she looked around at Adelicia and Makoto, then began to speak.

"_**Makoto; it's awful! We were just settling down for the night, when we heard a noise outside. We went to investigate, thinking that it might be an animal or something. When we got outside, we saw a large ship in the clearing right outside our cave. For a moment, we thought that it might be these humans here, but then some humans in dark clothes came out. They carried weapons and went into our cave and began firing at us! Some of us were hurt; Feather got hit pretty badly in the leg, but none of us were killed. We tried to protect Mother, but...but they got to her!" **_she sounded so sad at this.

"_**Is she all right?"**_Makoto asked quickly.

"_**Yes; she'll live, but one of them had a knife and was able to get a piece of one of her back spines…I don't know what they thought they were doing, but they took the thing with them in a box. Mother's stunned and it hurts where she was injured, but the spine will soon grow back and she'll be fine. We're all fine, but we won't be sleeping tonight."**_ Lee finished her story and rested on the floor.

"Did you run all the way here?" Adelicia asked.

"_**Yes; Mother wanted me to tell you what happened because you're too far away for her to get in touch with." **_Lee replied.

"You need some more water…where's Meisai?" Momo said, looking around.

"_**Meisai!"**_ Makoto hissed furiously, suddenly remembering the female Shadow.

"Yes; where is Meisai?" Hoshi said thoughtfully.

"I don't know; the little _baka_ was around earlier…" Momo replied, still looking around.

"_**She had something to do with all of this!"**_ Makoto hissed.

"Now, Makoto; I know you don't like her, but to say that she-" Adelicia began.

"_**No! It's not that! She came upon me in the training room after our fight; she said that we were all pawns and told me that I should be protecting Shisome. She said that she knew about the museum and Kurai being Shisome's host and…that she was the one who started our fight in the first place."**_ He finished hesitantly, not wanting to bring that up again.

Hoshi's face was like granite. "Are you absolutely certain? Can you be sure she said these things?" he asked, drawing closer to the Praetorian, who had been released from the grip of the Shadows.

"_**What reason would I have to lie about something like this? You've got to either capture her or let one of us kill her; she knows more than she's telling!"**_ the Praetorian said.

"You're right… Shadows!" Hoshi said, addressing the black-robed people in the room.

"Yes, Master!" they all said, standing at attention.

"Find Meisai; bring her to me for questioning! Take the Xenomorph called Lee with you; she can help you in a big way. Lee, are you up to this?"

The little female nodded and stood; her strength having been recovered somewhat by the rest and water.

"Don't kill her, Lee; I need to speak with her, understand?" the old man asked, and the female nodded, and they were off.

"What's going on here?" Hoshi said quietly.

_Later…_

"Master; we've found Meisai!" Momo said, waking the two humans. They had fallen asleep despite themselves, while Makoto paced restlessly back and forth across the floor.

"Where was she?" Hoshi asked, rising from his chair quickly.

"We caught her in an escape craft; it appears that she was trying to flee the planet to catch up with the others." Momo said. In no time at all, the young woman was dragged into the room. She was tied with a rope, and wearing the same kind of plain black uniform that the people on the ship that had attacked Shisome's hive had worn, and her hair was no longer blue, but a cocoa brown; a wig was the cause of this change, and it was in the hand of one of the male Shadows. Lee was with them, and the blue female looked as though she was trying her hardest not to take Meisai's head off before she could be interrogated.

"Meisai…why would you do something like this?" Hoshi asked.

"Ooooh! The old man's angry! Careful; you don't want to get a heart attack, gramps!" she mocked, then giggled. Her laughter was stopped suddenly by a hard slap from Momo.

"Traitorous Shadow; though he is your master no more, you WILL address Yamamoto-san with respect!" she snarled.

"Huh…your name may mean "peach", but you're not nearly as sweet… You and that old fool can go rot in the deepest part of the Underworld for all I care!" she sneered.

"You're a Shadow; how can you say that about your master?" Momo said in horror. Meisai laughed.

"A Shadow? Me? Ha! I infiltrated your little organization about three months ago! You fools were so concerned with the oh-so-precious Yamamoto family that you never noticed me! Honestly, I've had a thousand opportunities to kill the old man since then, but orders kept me from it."

"Orders? From who? Who are you working for? Do they have something to do with all of this?" Hoshi asked angrily.

"Tsk tsk… asking such personal questions! You and I both know that I'm not going to tell you anything… Oh, there's my ride!"

A loud noise made them all turn. On the monitors, the same small craft from before could be seen. It hovered a few feet off the ground just outside _The Adamant_, it's ramp lowering.

A snapping sound got their attention, and they turned just in time to see the rope binding the traitor fall to the floor. Something metal hit the steel tiles, and in half a second, Meisai was out the room's door and heading down the hallways, clearly intending to meet the craft outside. Adelicia looked at what had been dropped, and saw that it was a small knife, probably kept up Meisai's uniform sleeve in case of this kind of situation.

Hoshi didn't even have time to order the Shadows after the woman. Both Makoto and Lee were out of the room and chasing Meisai down the halls; their shrieks echoing throughout the ship.

The others followed as best they could, with one of the male Shadows actually carrying Hoshi so he could keep up. They somehow managed to catch up to the Xenos just as they were cornering the traitor in the ship's docking bay. The large doors, which had presumably been activated by Meisai, were opening slowly, leaving the woman with little choice but to hold off her pursuers until she could escape.

Pulling out another dagger, she began to wave it at the deadly creatures in front of her. Somehow, she didn't seem to be a very good fighter, and was almost decapitated by Lee's tail a couple of times. She only needed a minute, however, and when that minute was up, she dashed out the open door and into the night. Makoto and Lee followed her, and the rest as well.

They didn't get very far when a scream came from in front of them. They couldn't see much in the rain, but a flash of lightning told the tale. Meisai had been caught by one of the Xenomorphs; her uniform was torn, and she was holding her face with one bloody hand. She had obviously tripped, because the crimson blood was mixing with a good amount of thick mud, and the filth was matting in her hair. The Xenos, who had now smelled–and perhaps, tasted–Meisai's blood, were more than ready to finish her off. They hissed viciously at the woman, who kept her hand pressed to her ruined face. The two never got their chance, however, for a person came running out of the nearby craft, followed by about two dozen others, all of whom were carrying high-powered machine guns, which they aimed at Hoshi's group.

"Move and I'll kill every one of you!" the first person out, who was probably the leader, yelled; and from their voice, the group could tell that it was a woman. She had a member of her group help Meisai into the ship. Adelicia and the others could now see that the woman was limping, and her pants leg was torn and covered with a great deal of blood, so it was likely that someone got another good blow in.

"Stupid girl!" the weapon-wielding group's leader snarled as Meisai passed her. The false Shadow was led up the ramp and onto the ship, and then disappeared. Guns still aimed at The Adamant's crew, the uniformed group slowly made its way back into the other craft; all except the leader.

"Who are you and why are you doing this?' Hoshi called.

"Who I am is something I'll keep secret; for the time being, anyway. As for what I'm doing here; that all has to do with these Xenomorphs and your little granddaughter. You wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't helped that little bitch, Mr. Yamamoto. I've taken the liberty of sending a message to Kurai Blackwood, and I do hope that we get to meet soon… She's a very important part of my future plans, you know." The woman then looked at Adelicia.

"My goodness…I didn't think that you'd survive…oh, well; the crew of your ship were all I needed, anyway…tell me; how long did it take you to find those eggs?" she sneered. The girl's eyes went wide, and Makoto hissed.

"Farewell, Mr. Yamamoto...we'll probably not meet again." She said mockingly, strolling up the ramp and into the ship before the door shut behind her. They could only stare as the ship rose off the ground and into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

"Damn it!" Hoshi swore.

"Let's get you inside, sir; this rain's not good for you…" Momo said gently. Hoshi allowed the woman to gently usher him up _The Adamant's_ ramp and back into the computer room. The rest followed and blankets were brought for them, although no one would be sleeping tonight.

**Okay, I forgot to mention a couple of chapters back; baka means idiot and for a woman to tie her obi in the front usually meant that she was a prostitute.**


	32. Done

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 32

**Done**

"_**Can't this thing go any faster?"**_ Makoto asked impatiently. He, Hoshi, Adelicia, Lee, Momo, Ichi, and another man named Jim, rushing to Makoto's hive. Jim had been called by Hoshi before they had left, and had come carrying a good-sized black case.

"It can; but it would be dangerous in this terrain and weather." Ichi said from where he was driving in the front seat.

Makoto gave a frustrated hiss and fidgeted where he sat awkwardly in the craft's black leather seat. Adelicia, despite the situation, couldn't help but feel a little important riding around in such a luxurious and expensive vehicle. She thought that Hoshi and his family must ride in crafts like this–and possibly better–all the time. The rain beat down on the outside of the hovercraft, but the inside was warm and dry. The carpet in here was a deep black, and the windows were tinted black as well, making the outside world invisible, save for a few raindrops on the windows.

There was more than enough room in the craft for the whole group, so no one was crowding anyone else. Lee was in another seat behind the Praetorian and humans, stretched out with her tail flicking back and forth nervously. The anxiety of the two Xenos was felt throughout the hovercraft, and Adelicia could only hope that they would be all right when they arrived at their destination. There was no question that they would go to their Queen the second the doors opened, but what then? Was Shisome all right? The girl hoped so; the Queen had become one of the very few friends she had in this world…

"We're almost there; I can see the caves." Ichi informed them.

"Good; we'll soon see what havoc those people wrought." Hoshi growled. The man's demeanor had changed from a friendly old man to a rather gruff warrior.

"_I'll bet he was really something in his day."_ the girl thought, looking at the old man. She looked out the window, but since the glass was tinted, it was a wasted effort.

Seeing as how there was nothing else to do, Adelicia turned her attention to Jim. The man was about Adelicia's height, with floppy blonde hair and grey eyes. He wore the same black kimono that the other Shadows did, but his had a band around his upper arm with a kanji on it. Adelicia stared, wishing she could read Japanese.

"It's the symbol for "doctor". Jim said, noticing her staring.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to–" the girl began.

"It's fine." Jim said, ending the conversation. The girl went back to staring out the window into the blackness, enjoying the feel of the cool glass on her face.

At last, the group felt a slight bump as the craft touched down. Ichi quickly got out and went over to open the door for the others. They filed out, with Makoto and Lee being the first ones, and proceeded to walk toward the cave entrance. They were met by an anxious-looking Feather, who had a small wound on his muzzle.

"_**Thank goodness you're back; Mother is injured!"**_ the Runner said, his long tail twitching.

"_**Injured? How bad is it? Has she lost a lot of blood?"**_ Lee asked, wringing her hands nervously.

"_**She's in no immediate danger; just some pain. Some humans came in here a little while ago. At first, we didn't think anything of their arriving; we thought it was just some of Hoshi's group, but then they began firing weapons at us!" **_

"_**Is anyone else injured?" **_Makoto asked, walking up to Feather and inspecting his wound.

"_**Not seriously; the humans were using weapons that fired projectiles that made us fall asleep. More than half the hive is out right now; the rest are tending to either the unconscious or Mother." **_the Runner explained.

"_**Then let's go have a look; I want to see how she's doing."**_ Makoto said, and Lee nodded. The Runner in front, the three Xenomorphs led the way into the cave, with the rest following with the aid of powerful flashlights.

They were soon in Shisome's chamber, staring at the Queen.

She was lying on floor, making small noises of pain. As they got closer, they could see why; she had several good slashes on her body, which were still bleeding slightly. The female looked up as the group entered the room, gave a small greeting hiss, then laid her head back down. A couple of Drones came over to attend to their Queen's wounds as best they could, and gave her little nuzzles of comfort. Hoshi came closer to get a better view. As he got closer, he beckoned the others to follow. As they drew near, they got a look at what was surely the main cause of Shisome's pain.

One of the invading humans had used something very sharp to sever the tip of one of Shisome's back spines. The appendage had been severed about eight inches from the top; and from the look of it, someone knew exactly what they were doing. The wound was already beginning to heal, and from what Hoshi understood, Shisome would likely be able to regenerate the spine in time.

"_**Shisome!" **_Makoto said, rushing over to his Queen and inspecting her wound.

"_**I'm fine, I'm fine…I've been saying that for the last hour… What about the rest of my children?"**_ she asked, raising her head up, as Momo and Ichi began to look over the Queen's wounds, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"They're fine, Mother; apparently the ones who were put out are waking up now and are on their way to attend to you." Lee said. Indeed, in a moment the entirety of the hive was in the room with them, asking Shisome if she was all right, offering to get her food or water, and trying to tend to her wounds.

"Shisome, could you call them off for a bit? We can't work with all this…interference. Hoshi said, pushing gently past Rain, who was now trying to remove some resin flakes from his mother's back.

"_**Move along, children; let the humans do their work."**_ Shisome said gently, waving her children away. They obeyed, situating themselves around the perimeter of the room, as if to make sure that the humans wouldn't try anything with their Queen.

Hoshi, Momo, Jim and Ichi got down to business Jim opened his case, and from it produced some medical tools. he explained as he worked that they were specifically made for treating Xenomorph injuries.

"Where did you get those?" Adelicia asked.

"When I was preparing for the journey here, I used my connections to procure them…along with some other…items of interest. I have few books on Xenomorph biology, social structure, that sort of thing. I brought copies for you, if you want them, as well as some other things."

"So, how do you know how to treat Xenomorph injuries?" the girl asked.

"That's where I come in." Jim said, winking at her over his shoulder.

"He's sort of a Xenomorph veterinarian; he used to be in one of the USCM's research affiliates. They use people like him to keep their…specimens…healthy."

"Now, Your Majesty…let's have a look at those wounds…" Jim said, walking rather boldly over to the Queen and beginning to treat her.

Adelicia watched this for a few minutes, until she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Makoto standing behind her. The Praetorian nodded his head in the direction of the chamber's exit, signaling the human that he wanted to talk to her alone. She complied, moving quietly away from the others, and let the male lead her into a small room a little way away.

"What's so important?" Adelicia asked when they were alone.

"_**I just wanted to make sure that we could talk… Now that Shisome's going to be all right, I just wanted to see if…if we were, too."**_

"Oh, I get it… What do you want me to say?" she asked, and the male took a step closer.

"_**I don't really know… Look; you're human… I don't know…I don't know a lot about your species' way of doing things related to emotions and intimacy… What I do know about you is that intimacy is hardly the first thing on your mind when you think of us, but you are different. I suppose that…that you're still a little shaken about…earlier…but please, **_**please**_** try to understand; it's not something I'd enjoy doing, and it's not something that's even likely to happen. Understand that I'm not human, Adelicia; my ways are far different from yours, and that I do care for you…a great deal."**_

"It's not something that's easy to live with, Makoto…" Adelicia said, crossing her arms.

"_**I'm sure it's not…but if you're going to live with me, it's something you must accept. I will serve my Queen, no matter what my own personal feelings are. I will do as she asks of me without regret or hesitation; that is my nature. You, too, will be expected to do the same."**_ The male said firmly.

"It just seems so…cruel." The human remarked, fixing her soft eyes the Xeno.

"_**Perhaps; but it is necessary cruelty. We never have met a single human who was friendly or sympathetic toward us until Kurai came along. Never had we known anything but hatred and pain from your kind… I am the last original member of my hive… Shisome was just an egg when I fled my home. I watched my mother die at the hands of the humans–the marines, you call them. On that day, everything I had ever known came to an end. My siblings, whom I had known since birth, are but a memory now. We were so…happy…back then…we never expected anything like what happened. Protecting Shisome was my mother's last request; I will therefore carry it out until the day I die."**_Makoto explained solemnly.

"So then…protecting Shisome is like...your purpose in life?"

"_**In my life, and in the lives of every single member of this hive. Every one of my species has but one duty, and that is to their Queen; and that is the only thing on which we could ever possibly agree. We fight and suffer, we live and we die, for her alone. Her happiness and well-being are the only things that matter to us."**_

"Don't you ever think about something more? Don't you ever wish that you were…free?" the human asked.

"_**We don't. We don't see our situation as enslavement or servitude; not by any means! To make our Queen happy makes us happy. Seeing Mother or Shisome enjoy themselves brings me much pleasure. To think about a life without a Queen is…blasphemy…yes, that is a good word for it."**_

"So then; you'll never change your mind?"

"_**I'm sorry, but no."**_

Adelicia was about to say something more, when Lee came into the room.

"_**What is it, Lee?"**_ Makoto asked.

"_**I just came to tell you; Mother's injuries have been tended to. She's tired, but she'll be fine once she eats and rests. The others are being looked after as well. That human Hoshi Yamamoto brought with him is a real wonder! What are you doing here alone, by the way?" **_the little female asked, looking from the Praetorian to the human.

"_**We were having a very important conversation before you came in. Actually, we'd like to get back to it…"**_ he prompted. Lee shrank a little, then turned to leave the room, her tail dragging slightly.

"No…I've heard all I needed to hear…we're done." Adelicia said, before following the female out.

"_**Done?"**_ Makoto whispered to himself, as he was left alone in the dark room.


	33. Love?

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

Starting Over

Part 33

**Love?**

"All right then; you're all patched up and ready to go." Jim said, standing back to admire his work. Shisome looked down and gave an approving hiss at the human's handiwork. He had cleaned and bandaged the Queen's wounds with special dressings made for the purpose, and had paid special attention to her back spine. When he had finished with this, he began to attend to the others. One by one, he looked at their injuries, and administered treatment accordingly.

"_**Thank you, human."**_ Shisome said, nodding her gratitude.

"No thanks necessary; it's a privilege to work so closely with such fascinating creatures. I've always wanted to get a good view of a live Xenomorph Queen, but I never thought I'd get the opportunity." the young man said.

"_**Oh; thank you…"**_ Shisome replied, a little purr beginning in the back of her throat.

Adelicia stifled a giggle. She and Lee had been watching Jim work for some time, with the human looking occasionally across the room at Makoto, who had rejoined the group about five minutes after Adelicia. He was standing there with Rain, Feather and Swift, who were talking quietly among themselves. Adelicia could tell from the way the Praetorian was standing–tail drooping and head down–that what she had said to him hadn't gone over well.

She sighed; maybe she had overreacted a little.

"_But he said that he'd…"_ she began to think, but shuddered before the thought could be completed.

"_But that was all because of Meisai; she was likely just causing trouble. Makoto's never given you any reason to distrust him."_ another part of her mind reasoned.

"_Maybe not, but he–"_ the rational part began.

"_He was good to you; and he told you the truth. He's been nothing but civil and gentle with you since the first day you met him, and at the first sign of trouble you freak out!"_

She sighed; her mind was right…well, part of it, anyway.

"_**Adelicia…you're troubled; why?"**_ Lee asked, bumping her head gently into the human's side.

"Well, it's just…uhm…could I talk to you about it later…you know; privately?" she mumbled.

"_**Yes, of course."**_ Lee said knowingly.

"My work is done here, Mr. Yamamoto; there's nothing else I can do." Jim said, turning to his employer, who was standing against the wall out of the way.

"Very well then. Come; we'll go back to _The Adamant_. Adelicia, would you like to join us? I have some clothes and other things I got for you." Hoshi said, turning to the girl.

"Oh! Yes; I'd like that very much!" Adelicia said, flattered.

"Come along then; it's getting quite late. Shisome, I hope you get well soon. I'll have her back to you tomorrow." With this, he turned and began to leave, the three Shadows behind him.

Adelicia fell in with the rest of them, but soon noticed that Makoto wasn't following them; Hoshi noticed this as well.

"Aren't you coming, Makoto?" he asked, stopping and looking over his shoulder.

"_**Not just yet; I'll join you later."**_ the Praetorian said simply. Hoshi shrugged and resumed walking.

Adelicia was escorted back through the caverns and into the hovercraft, which was much roomier without the Xenomorphs, and was soon on her way back to _The Adamant_, with Makoto watching from the cave's entrance.

"What was that?" Shisome asked when Makoto returned to her chamber.

"What was what, my Queen?" the Praetorian asked, confused.

"That; that coldness between you and Adelicia! What did you do now?" the female asked, rising from her position stretched out on the cave floor.

"Well, she and I had another…falling out…and I think it's best if we spend some time apart." Makoto explained.

"Falling out? What happened; did you start in on her about going back to Earth again?" the female accused.

"No; this time it was about…well…about you." the male admitted, lowering his crested head in submission.

"Me? What did I do that had a part in your fight?" Shisome asked, taken aback.

"It's not so much as what you _did_ do as what you _could_ do." Makoto said awkwardly.

"Explain." the Queen said quietly.

Makoto then proceeded to tell her about Meisai and the fight that he and Adelicia had had about the question the girl had posed for him.

"And what did you say?" Shisome asked, when her guard finished his recollection.

"I simply told her that I would follow any orders you gave me without regret or hesitation. She didn't take it too well." he admitted.

"You told her that? You were actually foolish enough to tell her that?" the Queen said in disbelief.

"It's not foolish; it's the truth! If she's going to live among us, she has to know that your will is law! When she gets it through her head, she'll be happy again. I don't understand this; I tell her the truth, and she looks at me as though I were a monster!"

"You? What about me! What if she thinks that I'm always out to get her; always looking over her shoulder for a chance to get rid of her? You say that she looked at you like you were a monster, but I highly doubt that she'll ever look at me as anything else, either!"

"But my Queen; she has to learn that–" Makoto began.

"Don't "my Queen" me, Makoto! How _dare_ you use my name for such things! I'd _never_ give such order! No wonder she's being so distant; she's scared! She thought she'd finally found a home, only to be made to believe that every negative thing humans say about us is true!"

"What was I supposed to tell her?" Makoto asked desperately.

"You could have lied, genius! At least then you might have been able to keep your mate. Now you've los her; and I've lost my friend…" Shisome hissed.

"But why should I _have_ to lie? Shouldn't she just accept the facts? I already told her that the likelihood of you actually telling me to kill her is incredibly slim. Still, she seems distressed."

"Makoto, listen; if she _is_ distressed, it's because you told her you'd kill her if I told you to." Shisome said slowly.

"Wouldn't hearing something like that distress you, just a _little_?" she asked sarcastically.

"Shisome; if she can't live with the knowledge that you are her Queen, then…then maybe she shouldn't live here at all." Makoto reasoned, though it hurt to do so.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe she isn't as inclined to accept me as her Queen as you are? You can't take her and expect her to just change her entire way of thinking in a day! She's human, Makoto; which means that she has no Queen. When it comes to me, she has no obligation to serve me whatsoever. Unlike you, she's not bound by the need to serve a Queen, and unlike all of us she's…free."

"Free, Shisome?" Makoto asked.

"Yes; she's free. Free to go anywhere and do anything she chooses. Unlike you and the others, she doesn't have to ask my permission to leave the hive, and unlike me, she can go on long journeys without the fear of being replaced. She's willful, stubborn, and has a mind of her own, which are things that our species will likely never develop. She's also one of my few human friends, and I want her back."

"How? How do I get her back, my Queen?" Makoto asked. He had been shaken by her speech, and somehow knew that she was telling the truth.

"I don't care if you have to get on your knees and beg her; just bring Adelicia back here!" the Queen hissed.

"Bring her back? Where's she gone?" Lee asked, looking around. She had gone off to get her mother something to eat and had missed Adelicia's leaving.

"Makoto said something entirely stupid and she left." Shisome informed the blue Drone.

Lee dropped the deer-like creature she was holding on her shoulders to the ground and, in a couple of surprisingly powerful leaps, cleared the distance between herself and Makoto. She rose to her full six feet and put her face close to his.

"GET HER BACK!" Lee roared, a surprisingly frightening sound.

"Out of my face, Drone!" Makoto hissed; he was, after all, of a higher rank than she, and wasn't used to Drones talking to him like that.

Lee grabbed Makoto by the throat and hissed furiously at him. "She's the only female here besides me and Mother; and if I have to go with you and bite your tail every single step of the way to the humans' ship I will!"

"You think you're powerful enough to challenge me?" the Praetorian asked lowly.

Lee was about to respond, when Shisome interrupted.

"No, she's not; but I am. Either get her to come back with you, or I will see to it that everyone in the hive gives you a good bite every time they see you!" Shisome threatened.

"Why would you do such a thing, Shisome?" Makoto asked, surprised by her aggression.

"Because Adelicia's my friend, because we need a human to help us while we're here, because she's going to think we're horrible creatures, and because you love her!"

"Love….?" Makoto said quietly, not sure about how to interpret this. He thought about it for a moment; she'd put up with his grim attitude, with all the danger being around them put her in, almost getting killed on a few occasions…had she done it for him? He did care for her, almost as much as Shisome, but…

But he knew if she left for good he'd never be able to forgive himself. She'd brought joy into his life for the first time in a long time, and had asked for nothing back….so he did…

"I'm leaving; and I won't come back until I have her with me!" the male said determinedly, looking at his Queen.

"That's what I wanted to hear!" Shisome said, nodding in approval.


	34. Girl Talk

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 34

**Girl Talk**

"So, you two seem to be at odds lately." Momo said, as she escorted Adelicia to a guest room. The ride back from the hive had been a quiet one, with everyone apparently having something on their minds. All the way, Adelicia had been thinking of Makoto and the fight they'd had.

"Excuse me?" she said; she'd been thinking of the Praetorian at the moment.

"You and Makoto; you seemed to get along so well the first time I saw you, and now you seem to be acting rather cold to each other. Forgive me if I seem out of line, though." The Shadow said as they turned a corner.

"It's fine; I don't see how anyone couldn't notice it. Yes; we've been having something of a fight lately." Adelicia sighed.

"Oh? About what, if I may ask?"

"Well, it seems that…" She went on to explain briefly about what had been going on between her and Makoto recently.

"I see…and you say Meisai said this?" Momo asked, stopping and turning to the other woman.

"Yes, she did originally bring it up; why does it matter?" Adelicia asked.

"Come now; you never thought that she was just trying to start trouble between the two of you? She didn't exactly make it a secret that she didn't like Makoto."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't change the fact that Makoto would-" she began.

"Look, has he ever done anything to make you suspect that he'd hurt you?" the Shadow asked.

"No; not really." Adelicia admitted.

"And what about his Queen–Shisome–has she ever threatened you?"

"No; she's always been very kind to me…"

"Then what's wrong? You're angry with him for telling the truth? It's his nature to obey his Queen, just like it's mine to obey Mr. Yamamoto. You're driving yourself crazy over something that will probably never happen. That Xenomorph seemed to care for you a great deal; why not give him a chance?"

"Because…because…" she couldn't think of a reason.

"You can't come up with an answer, can you?" Momo said gently.

Adelicia bit her lip and looked away.

"Then give him a chance." the Shadow said, matter-of-factly.

"It's not just that; I want to have a child." the younger woman said, leaning against the wall.

"I can't help you with that one." Momo admitted.

"No; I want to adopt a child, and I could really use Makoto's support on the issue, but he says that he'll go along with whatever Shisome decides."

"Did she say no?" Momo asked.

"No, she hasn't made up her mind yet; there's been too much going on lately. What if she decides against the idea, though? I can't live the rest of my life wondering what might have been. If Shisome decides no on this, I'm thinking of returning to Earth."

"Well, why don't you think of how Shisome feels? By nature, she's the only one who can reproduce, so it stands to reason that she might feel a little intimidated by another female trying to have a child. Besides, why would you want to bring a child to Pluvia right now anyway? Can you honestly say that you feel that a child would be safe, what with all that's happened lately?"

"I…I never thought of it that way…" Adelicia said, looking away. Momo laughed and the two began to walk again.

"Listen; we all have plans for our lives, but they just don't work out sometimes. Look at me; my mother wanted me to marry a well-to-do man from the town next to mine, and I was prepared to do it, too. Our family wasn't doing too well financially, and the marriage would benefit us greatly. The man was nice enough, and fairly good looking, but I had no affection for him. My marriage was planned for the end of the summer, and I was going to the temple to pray. I had just stepped up to the Buddha's statue, when I was suddenly surrounded by some…overly amorous…men. My brothers had taught me some basic self-defense, and I was able to hold my own until a shrine keeper came along and chased the men away.

When I finally relaxed, I was approached by none other than Mr. Yamamoto. He had been praying at the temple with his wife and had seen me defending myself. He offered me a job, saying that I could learn more martial arts. I was fascinated by the prospect, and said yes before even really thinking it through. He gave me his address, and left the temple.

I went home and told my mother about what had taken place, and she didn't believe me at first, until I showed her the address that Mr. Yamamoto had given me. The place on the paper was an extremely expensive and luxurious hotel; the kind of place where someone like Hoshi Yamamoto and his family would stay, but where someone like me would never even be allowed to be a maid. My father thought that I had made up the whole thing to try and run away from the marriage, gave me the beating of a lifetime and called the family of the man I was to marry and got the wedding pushed up to that very week.

I thought hard that night, and decided to go and at least see what Mr. Yamamoto's offer was. The next morning, I went to market for my mother, and went to the hotel where Mr. Yamamoto was staying. Imagine my surprise when I found that I was expected there! I was led into the biggest and most beautiful room I'd ever seen, and there he sat; one of the most powerful men in the world, and my future employer. He and his wife welcomed me and sat me down and explained things to me.

The offer he gave me was that I would become a Shadow, learn martial arts, and become one of his personal bodyguards. The money he'd pay me was more than my potential husband's family could imagine, and I wouldn't have to marry anyone.

I barely even had to think before I said yes. After that, Mr. Yamamoto set me up with a sensei and my training began. My family was none too pleased, but after my first paycheck and a word from Mr. Yamamoto, they generally kept their opinions to themselves. My eldest sister went on to marry the man from the next town, and they are now living very happily with four children. I've never been happier than when I'm serving Mr. Yamamoto and his family; I've known Kurai since she was about twelve, and I've seen things and places that most people could only dream of."

"That's a very interesting story, Momo, but what does it have to do with what we were talking about? Adelicia asked.

"The point is; I had plans to marry, but I became a Shadow instead. Plans change, life changes, and you just have to deal with it. If Shisome says you can't adopt, accept it and get on with your life. Stay with the hive; you've got friends there. And anyway, can you honestly say that your life on Earth was better? Mr. Yamamoto told me about your situation before you came here; do you want to end up like that again?"

This was a wakeup call for Adelicia; she'd rather be anywhere and doing anything than traveling with another crew like before or living on the streets or ending up as a hooker. Living in the hive was wonderful, if not a bit gruesome at times. The Xenos were good company, and she hadn't been so happy since before she lost her family. She thought of Shisome, of Lee and Swift and…

"_Makoto…"_ she thought. She'd become quite attached to the Praetorian since meeting him, and the few "close encounters" she'd had with him since then had only made her more so. He'd been through so much, and he needed to heal emotionally, but otherwise he could be very sweet at times.

"You're thinking of him now, aren't you?" Momo asked. Adelicia blushed slightly and nodded.

"You don't think it's…unnatural?" she asked shyly.

"Honey, when you've been around the galaxy as many times as I have, you learn the true meaning of "unnatural". Look at it like this; he treats you well, doesn't he?"

"Yes…"

"He doesn't cheat on you, does he?"

"I don't think so…"

"He doesn't drink, smack you around, stay out late, ogle other women, bring his rowdy friends home late at night, leave a huge mess for you to clean up, leave the toilet seat up, drink the last soda, clip his toenails over the bathroom sink, let his friends borrow obscene amounts of money, gamble, swear, spit, take you to cheap restaurants, leave his muddy shoes on the rug, scratch himself and or belch and or fart in public, turn his shirts inside out to avoid doing laundry, squeeze your rear and applaud your bedroom exploits in front of your family, call your work asking if you'll bring him home a dirty magazine, record over your sixth birthday with porn, hit on your sister at her reception, hit on your mother at your father's funeral, use your underwear as a handkerchief, use a nude picture of you as his background at work, or call out your sister's name during sex, does he?"

"My lord! What kind of men do you go with?" Adelicia asked, stunned.

"Duds, Adelicia, duds all. You have a good thing going with Makoto; don't throw it away because you hit a rough patch; although, judging from what I just said, I could stand to do just that…" Momo mumbled.

They had been walking all this time and had now reached Adelicia's room. Opening the door, the girl saw that the room had been prepared for her with beautiful blankets on the bed and a long nightgown.

"Well, goodnight, Adelicia; Mr. Yamamoto will call on you in the morning to give you some of the things he brought for you. I'll be here to get you at about seven tomorrow." Momo said, about to close the door.

"And Adelicia; think about what I said, about Makoto." She said, before closing the door all the way, leaving the girl alone.


	35. An Enlightening Conversation

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 35

**An Enlightening Conversation**

"_So, how do I tell her how I feel?"_ Makoto thought to himself as he ran through the rain. He had been literally pushed out of the entrance to the hive by Lee, who had made good on her threat and given his tail a good bite when he'd resisted. The limb still throbbed slightly, and the male shook his head as he thought the look that the young female had given him before he departed.

"_What if she rejects me?"_ he continued, taking temporary cover underneath a large rock formation and shaking some of the water from his ebony hide.

"Maybe I should go back to the hive…" he said out loud.

He sighed and walked back out into the rain, shivering slightly as the cold water hit his skin. There was no danger of him getting sick from being out in the rain; it was simply that Xenomorphs preferred the heat and moisture of a hive to the rain and mud. Thinking of the warm and dry interior of _The_ _Adamant_ made him run faster; if nothing else, he might at least be allowed to remain on the ship until it stopped raining.

"Well, today certainly could have gone better." He thought with a small laugh/hiss. He and Adelicia had started out that morning with the hope of seeing Hoshi, but today had ended with him likely losing his (not yet, anyway) mate, his Queen and half the hive being injured, the mystery of the eggs deepening, and discovering a traitor.

He continued on, his mind occupied by all that had happened since Kurai and Hoshi had dropped him and Shisome off on Pluvia. There was still a part of him that wished that nothing had ever changed and that he could still be with his mother, but he had to admit that unless things had gone the way they did, he never would have met Adelicia.

So now the problem was; how would he win her back? From what Kurai had told him long ago, human males won their mates with grand displays or gifts, but that wasn't the way his species did things. He would just have to try to appeal to her with honesty; it was all he knew.

"_So, what if she goes back to Earth; what will I do then?"_ he thought to himself.

"No; I can't think like that! I have to stay positive! I'm sure she'll take me back; or at least listen to what I have to say…"

His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of _The_ _Adamant_ becoming clearer in the gloom. Makoto's heart pounded as he neared the craft; soon his conflict would be resolved, one way or the other.

He stopped at the ship's door and looked up; and then had what Kurai had referred to once as an "oh, shit" moment.

"How am I going to get inside?" he muttered.

The outline of the door could be seen in the metal, but when the Praetorian felt the side of the ship, he found that there was no way to get his claws into the seam to try and open the door. He looked up at the windows and wondered if someone would see him standing there. Then again, it was quite late at night, and they wouldn't likely be expecting him there. In one last effort, he stood up on his hind legs and scratched at the door, leaving very faint lines in the metal.

"Adelicia?"

Momo's voice cut through the fog of early sleep, making the girl's eyes open blearily.

"Y-yes? What is it?" she asked softly, turning toward the sound.

"You'll never believe this, but Makoto's here." the Shadow announced.

"Makoto's here?" Adelicia repeated, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She had gone to bed about fifteen minutes ago, hoping that sleep in a real bed would help her to sort some of this mess out.

"Yes; do you…do you want to see him?" Momo asked, sounding as though she was feeling awkward.

Adelicia thought about it for a moment; then shook her head yes. She had been thinking as she had bathed earlier, and decided that she would like to try to reconcile with the Praetorian. He hadn't really threatened her, after all, and he'd always been so sweet… It wouldn't be right to make any decisions without at least talking to him first.

"All right; I'll tell Jim to let him in." Momo said, smiling.

Adelicia sighed and got out of bed and put on the robe that had been left for her. Running her fingers through her hair, she arranged her bed a bit and began to pace the room as she waited for the Xenomorph.

Makoto, after circling the ship a couple of times, had let out a little cry of frustration and huddled against a nearby tree to wait until someone came outside. The idea was to either talk to them outright or sneak onboard the craft.

Giving himself a little shake to rid himself of the small ocean of water covering his body, he got into a slightly more comfortable position.

He must have drifted off; for he was snapped back to consciousness by a large sound coming from the vicinity of the ship. Turning his crested head toward the craft, he was surprised, but pleased, to see the door beginning to open. In a moment, the door had opened completely and a silhouette could be seen emerging. When the figure got a little closer, Makoto could see that it was Momo coming toward him. Rising from the ground, he trotted over to meet the Shadow.

"Makoto, I assume you've come to see Adelicia?" she asked.

"_**Yes…will she speak with me?" **_he asked tentatively.

"She's asked that I let you in and bring you to her. Come on; let's get you out of this rain, I'm sure it's not good even for you." With this, she smiled and turned, leading him into the ship.

Makoto followed the Shadow up the ramp, relishing the warmth that washed over him as the door closed. His razor sharp claws made little clicking sounds on the floor, which was the only noise as the pair walked down the halls toward their destination.

"So; did your Queen make you come here?" Momo asked, more to break the silence than anything.

"_**Yes; she was quite upset about me leaving Adelicia in such a way and– Wait; how did you know about that?"**_ the Praetorian asked suddenly, hurrying his pace so that he could walk beside the woman leading him.

"I figured as much. You see, you're a male, and as such, you usually take a lot of time to make up your mind on matters of love. You usually only take about ten seconds to decide whether to have sex with a female, but when it comes to admitting any feelings for her, you'll take ten years, am I right?"

"_**You don't have to overcomplicate it so much…"**_ Makoto mumbled, but he had to admit; she was right. He wouldn't have thought twice about coupling with Adelicia, if she'd offered herself, but saying how he felt was a different matter altogether.

"I'm not overcomplicating anything; I'm telling the truth. Look at it this way; would you be her now if your Queen hadn't made you come? I honestly don't get how men can go to the lengths that they do to get a woman in bed, but when it comes to saying the three words that will make a woman happiest, they go blank." Momo ranted.

"_**Do–do you hate all males or something? What was it; an unsatisfying night? Were you jilted or…forced?"**_ the male asked.

"Whatever do you mean?" the woman asked, tilting her head slightly.

"_**You seem to have it out for the opposite sex, is all I'm saying… Perhaps all you need is a little…reminding…of what a male can do for you." **_

"Are you seriously hitting on me now?" Momo said, stopping in the middle of the hall. There was more than a hint of anger in her voice.

"_**Why would I strike you? You've done me no wrongs."**_ Makoto asked, confused.

"No; I mean, are you offering to mate with me?" she asked, crossing her arms, her face a little red, but not from embarrassment.

"_**Of course not; but if that is what you need, there are about ten males back at the hive who will be more than willing–and who are more than able–to accommodate you."**_

"Ten, you say?" Momo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"_**At least; and only two females that they can mate with."**_

"Just the two?" Momo asked, looking at the male oddly.

"_**Yes; our genders usually depend on the gender of our host. So far there haven't been any other female hosts besides Lee's, so there haven't been any more females. I do hope there will be some soon, or everyone will be too tense to go about their duties."**_ Makoto exclaimed.

"But isn't Lee your…well, every male's…sister?"

**A/N:** **Okay, I've tried to make this sound as logical as possible, so brush off your willing suspension of disbelief and hold on for the ride. The fact is, I couldn't figure out any other way to put this, so I did it the best way I know how. Sorry if you don't like it, but I'm not rewriting all these chapters.**

"_**Well no; Lee is just another member of our hive. We don't consider each other to be siblings; though we do feel a great bond with one another.**_

_**Though Shisome did lay the eggs of the members of the hive, they aren't what you would call "siblings". The way our species sees it, offspring from the same Queen aren't truly related to each other; or their Queen. I am what you might call a clone of my Queen, seeing as how I have no father. Lee can freely mate with any male (or female, that happens, too) member of the hive that she chooses." **_

"So males can mate with the Queen?" Momo asked.

"_**Of course they can; but only if the Queen wishes it. We generally only mate for pleasure, or to affirm a bond between two mates who decide to stay together. Or occasionally a male may mate with a lower-ranking member of the hive to show his status, but only of the other is willing. We never force ourselves on our mates; that's for humans."**_

"Have you ever…?" Momo asked, curious.

"_**Not with Shisome, no. Now, may I see Adelicia? I want to make things right between us."**_

Momo nodded and began to once again lead the way.


	36. I Love You

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 36

**I Love You**

"Okay, she's in here." Momo said, stopping at Adelicia's door. Makoto took a deep breath; beyond this door was a possible reconciliation with the only female (aside from his Queen) that he would die for.

"Now, when you get in there, don't start all that "I love you but not as much as my Queen" stuff; keep Her Majesty out of it; that's how all this got started in the first place." the Shadow advised, moving around the Praetorian and cleaning him with a handkerchief produced from her obi.

"_**But–"**_ Makoto started, as Momo moved to clean his crest.

"No buts! It's one thing to love your family, but for Buddha's sake, keep these things to yourself!"

"_**But-"**_ Makoto tried again, his voice coming as a kind of small squeak.

"And if she asks you if you want her to come back, what are you going to say?" the Shadow asked, wiping some dirt from the Xeno's muzzle.

"_**I'll say yes, of course! I…I love her and I want to be with her, and no one ever has or ever could make me feel that way. That's why I came all this way…that, and Shisome and Lee would have my malehood if I didn't…"**_

"Yeah…leave that last part out if you want to have any chance at getting her back." Momo muttered.

"_**Perhaps you're right about that one…"**_ the Praetorian mumbled, as Momo tried to spray with him with something that smelled like flowers. Jumping back, he gave her a meaningful look.

"Sorry; just wanted you not to smell like…whatever it is you smell like." She said, tucking the bottle back into her obi.

"_**I smell fine… Why are you sniffing me in the first place?"**_ he asked, cocking his head as Momo put the handkerchief away.

"Never mind; let's go over this one more time; what are you going to tell her?"

"_**That I love her and I want her back." **_ Makoto recited, moving into a sitting position.

"And what are not going to mention?" Momo asked, pacing back and forth in front of the Xeno.

"_**That Shisome had a hand in me coming here."**_ the male said, giving himself a scratch under his crest.

"Good boy! Now get in there and get your lady back; and don't come back out until you do!" Momo cried.

"_**YES! I'M GOING TO GET HER BACK!"**_ Makoto shouted, rising to his full height; an imposing ten feet.

"GODS YOU'RE TALL!" Momo yelled, caught up in the moment.

"_**I KNOW!"**_ the male yelled back.

"NOW GET IN THERE!" Momo yelled, opening the door.

"_**I'M GOING; THANK YOU!"**_ Makoto cried, hurrying into the room beyond.

"YOU'RE WELCOME!" Momo concluded, shutting the door behind him.

Makoto shook off the adrenaline that was coursing though him as he walked through the room. This one looked like it was for entertaining company; there were several large, comfortable-looking chairs surrounding a large table. Seeing that his Adelicia wasn't in this room, he looked around until he spotted a door and walked on.

The next room had two doors; one leading to what he now recognized as a human bathing room, and the other, hopefully, led to the female who would–hopefully–soon become his mate. The light was dim in here, but Makoto could see perfectly in the gloom.

He was in luck; he caught her scent as soon as he approached the second door. She smelled as though she had bathed recently; the thought of which made him purr loudly…perhaps she'd need another bath soon…

Opening the door, he saw her; she was sitting in a chair by a window, watching the blackness of space drift by. The sound of the opening door made her look up and jump at the Praetorian's presence. Makoto supposed that seeing him in the dimly lit room must look rather frightening to a human; especially a delicate one like Adelicia.

"Oh! I didn't expect you so soon…" the girl said, as he Xenomorph approached her.

"_**I couldn't leave things as they were."**_ he admitted quietly.

"Neither could I…I've…missed you…a great deal." she said, blushing slightly.

"_**And I've missed you. I…think that we have some things to talk about…"**_ Makoto replied, reaching out to brush some hair out of the female's face. She leaned into his touch, making him purr quietly.

"Indeed we do. First of all, I've done some thinking, and I've decided that…I'm not going back to Earth; not now, anyway. I would like to return someday…but only for a visit. I've realized that I'm happier here than I've been in a very long time, and I feel truly safe...with you."

Makoto's tail swished happily at the news. He felt more relief than he'd ever thought possible.

"_**Y-you mean it? You'll stay with me?"**_he asked, almost out of breath.

"Yes, and…I guess I'll have to get used to how things work for your species. It'll be different, but as long as I have you and a few good friends to turn to, I'll be fine." Adelicia said.

"_**I'll help you learn our rules; I know that you'll fit in with us, given a little time. I suppose I never should have just insisted that you go along with our way of thinking. You're different from any female I've ever met…" **_the Xenomorph admitted, looking awkwardly out of the window.

"And you're different from any man I've ever known..." the human said, coming closer to the large male.

"_**So then; do we go back tonight, or wait until tomorrow?" **_the Praetorian asked, trying to change the subject. It wasn't that felt strange talking to the human like this; he just didn't want to risk saying something foolish again.

"Mr. Yamamoto says that if I take him to my old ship, he can get some records from the computer there. Maybe we can see where the crew got those eggs from." Adelicia replied, noticing how Makoto tensed when she mentioned the eggs. She wondered if it was just a natural response.

"_**Good; this whole ordeal is getting quite tiresome. Once this is all over, we can finally begin to lead normal lives. Honestly, Shisome's been under so much stress lately–"**_ he stopped himself, suddenly remembering Momo's words about bringing his Queen into the conversation. Looking at the human, he hoped dearly that he hadn't just undone the little he had accomplished.

"I suppose she would be; such an environment isn't a good place to raise a family…which leads me to my next issue. Makoto; I've decided that I'm not going to have children…not yet, at least. With all that's been going on, I don't think that it's a good time to bring another person into matters; especially a child. When this is all over, I hope that Shisome will think about letting me adopt, but until then, I understand if she has other things on her mind. I guess I have no other choice than to go along with her decision, whatever it might be."

"_**That's all I wanted to hear. I'm sure that she'll decide in your favor; you just need to be patient."**_ Makoto nodded, glad that this particular argument was, for the moment anyway, out of the way.

"So, how is everyone back at the hive?" Adelicia asked, straightening up.

"_**They're just as they were when you left; Shisome's doing fine, as are the rest of them. They miss you, you know."**_

"I've only been gone a couple of hours." Adelicia laughed.

"_**Our species forms very strong bonds to those we consider friends. A few hours, a few years; it's all the same to us. Believe me; you'll get a very warm welcome from them when you get home; from Lee in particular."**_

"Lee…she's one of the best friends I've ever had." the human recalled how kind the Xenomorph female was to her ever since she'd first arrived.

"_**She feels the same way about you. You know, she threatened me?"**_ Makoto said, laughing slightly.

"No! Surely not Lee?" the girl asked, surprised.

"_**Yes; she said she'd chase me here, biting my tail every step of the way, if I didn't come see you. She'd have done it, too!"**_

Adelicia laughed, holding her hand over her mouth. Makoto hissed happily along with her.

"So what now?" the girl asked quietly.

"_**I don't know…this is the first time I've ever had these feelings… If you were one of my species…but…but you're not…and I think that that's what makes things so complicated. But I suppose that…you being human is the very reason I first noticed you. Now I think I've come to realize that I might have been attracted to you because…well, you were different."**_ he concluded, looking at the human.

"Different?" Adelicia asked.

"_**From other humans; you don't see me as a monster or an animal. You were sympathetic to our hive, and you know what it's like to be…shall we say…treated less than kindly by the world. You know great loss, yet you remain optimistic about your future; which is something that I have more than a little trouble with. You're cheerful and gentle, and you actually look forward to each new day. You're an amazing person and I…" **_he stopped himself.

"You what?" Adelicia prompted, half.

"_**Well…I…I…love…you."**_ Makoto said hesitantly. He only hoped that she returned the affection.

"Oh, Makoto! I love you too!" she said, flinging herself into his arms. He tensed for half a second, before returning her embrace. He purred as he smelled the scent of her hair.

"_**I'm glad I could finally tell you that…it's been hanging there for so long…but suppose I didn't want to admit it because…I was afraid that you wouldn't feel the same way…but now that I know that you share my feelings…I'm happy. My…I'm…happy…I haven't been in such a long time."**_

"Neither have I; but I now I guess I have a reason to be." she responded, laying her head against his shoulder. She realized that to someone who didn't know them, this would look strange and very wrong, but she didn't care; she was with the person whom she knew she wanted to be with.

"_**You know," Makoto began hesitantly, "I don't think that anyone expects to see either of us for awhile. Perhaps…we could…stay in here until morning…together?"**_ He was careful with his words; one wrong move and she'd think that he was only after one thing tonight.

"Nice try!" Adelicia laughed, playfully pushing the Praetorian away. He sighed; no harm in trying…


	37. Bad Dreams

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

**Okay, sorry it's been so long; but finals week is approaching fast, and I have a lot of work to do between now and then.**

Starting Over

Part 37

Bad Dreams

"_**Adelicia; wake up."**_ Makoto said, nudging his new mate. He'd been made to sleep on the floor in the corner, which would have bothered him, except that he was just too happy about him and Adelicia's making up to really care.

He'd been up for about an hour now; having been awakened by a soft knock at the door. Xenomorphs were usually very light sleepers, and he was on his feet and opening the door before the sleeping Adelicia could even turn over. He'd quickly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway to confront the person, who turned out to be none other than Momo.

She had been coming to the room in order to give Adelicia an outfit for the day ahead. He'd had to quickly cover her mouth with one huge hand in order to keep her from screaming in surprise when he suddenly appeared in front of her almost out of nowhere. While she was catching her breath, Makoto explained why he had acted like he did.

"_**I'm sorry I frightened you; but Adelicia is sleeping and I'd rather you didn't wake her just yet."**_ the male explained, and Momo looked at him strangely, then smiled.

"Oooh…what have the two of you been doing?" she asked suggestively.

"_**Not that! Not for my lack of trying, though. Things have been stressful lately; for all of us, I'm sure. Adelicia's just been through a lot and she's tired." **_Makoto explained.

"Well, I can understand that. Look, will you give her these clothes? We're going to her old ship today and she'll need them." With this, Momo handed her cargo to the Praetorian, who waited until she left to examine the outfit.

The clothes consisted of a black uniform shirt and pants, which made Makoto hiss slightly, as they reminded him vaguely of the uniforms that the soldiers who massacred his original hive wore. His tail twitched in a strange delight when he moved the shirt aside slightly to reveal the strange, small garments that humans wore over their lower extremities. A little purr escaped him as he viewed the small piece of pink fabric.

"So, males of your species get excited about women's underwear too, huh?" Momo's voice cut through a little scene in which Adelicia was modeling the little garment for him.

"_**What?"**_ he asked, coming out of the daze.

"You were looking at- Oh, never mind; make sure that Adelicia gets these, too." the Shadow said, handing Makoto a pair of boots and socks to go with her outfit.

"_**R-right, I'll…I'll give her these when she wakes up…"**_ he muttered.

"All right then." Momo said, then turned and left for good. Makoto took the things back into the room and laid them neatly on a table, before curling back up and drifting into a light sleep.

He was awakened a little later by his body's nature, and after taking care of that little distraction, decided to wake his mate. She had been sleeping peacefully all this time, occasionally turning over in her sleep, or pulling the blanket over herself or pushing it away. Every now and then she let out a little whimper, and mutter quietly in her sleep. Figuring that Hoshi wouldn't likely appreciate having to wait too long, he shook the last of the sleep from his scarred body and approached the human's bed.

* * *

"_Okay, mum; I'll be right back with the food." Adelicia said, waving over her shoulder at her mother, who beamed and returned the gesture, then went back to playing with one of Adelicia's siblings. Her mother was wearing her pink dress and white scarf with the red roses; her best outfit._

"_And be careful; there are a lot of young punks around as of late." her father called, looking up from where he was taking plates out of the large basket he'd brought along. He was dressed in a casual suit that was lightly patched here and there; he normally only wore it on very special occasions._

"_All right, dad; I will!" she called, getting farther away by the second…_

"_Thank you, please come again." the man in the store had said, handing her the change from her purchase. She'd had to wait almost thirty minutes while the clerks sorted something out behind the counter before they could ring her purchases up, and she wondered if she'd get scolded by her parents when she arrived back at the park. The girl took the bag and her change and was about to leave the store, when a small group of people crowed around a television in the corner had caught her eye._

"_Did we finally take the Cup from Brazil?" she muttered, walking over to the group to see what was up._

"…_authorities say that the shooting began about fifteen minutes ago in this park. At the moment, the body count numbers well into the teens, and continues to climb as officers scout the area. Witnesses say that the two rival gangs arrived in the park and, after exchanging threats, began to fire their weapons at each other…"_

"_No…it can't be…" Adelicia whispered. She stood, her face growing paler by the second, as the picture switched to hospital gurneys being gently lifted into ambulance after ambulance. Somehow, her mind kept telling her that it wasn't her family, that it couldn't be her family. Something on the television caught her eye, and she gasped as she saw a scarf–once white with red roses, but now stained crimson–fall to the ground. One of the paramedics hastily picked it up and hid it from the camera's view, but not hastily enough._

"_No…" she'd whispered, before dropping the bag and falling into unconsciousness._

* * *

"_**Adelicia; wake up."**_ A voice reached her through the darkness.

"_**Adelicia…"**_ It took her a moment, but she finally recognized the person speaking.

"M-Makoto?" she mumbled, gradually gaining a grip on where she was.

"_**Yes; it's time get up, we've things to do today."**_ The Praetorian informed her, gently tugging at the blanket she was under.

"Oh… Yes…things to…do…" she mumbled, opening her eyes and stretching halfheartedly. Sighing, she crawled out from under the covers and trudged in the direction of the shower.

"_**Is something wrong?"**_ Makoto asked, following her. He'd never seen her like that, and it was worrying him.

"What? Oh, no; nothing's wrong…" she muttered, beginning to take her nightdress off, then realized that the Praetorian was in the room with her.

"Uhm, Makoto…" she began.

"_**Huh? Oh, yes, sorry…" **_he said, turning and leaving the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He crouched down in front of the door and continued the conversation. He didn't understand why she didn't mind him seeing her body one day and was so shy the next. True, he hadn't yet seen _everything _she had to offer, but he was optimistic about the future…

"_**Adelicia; you were whimpering and moving around in your sleep…are you all right?"**_ he asked.

"I…I was just…having a bad dream…that's all." she called.

"_**About what?"**_ he asked.

"…About the day my family was…taken away." she said quietly.

Makoto was silent. He knew what it was like to lose his loved ones; and knew all too well how vivid the dreams of them could be. While she bathed, he sat and wondered if something; fate, destiny, or those strange deities that the humans were always invoking in some way, had brought the two of them together. True, they were of two very different species, but their pasts were so…similar. It also made him uneasy to see Adelicia so solemn. She was usually so cheerful and upbeat; perhaps that was what attracted him to her? This, too was something he'd wondered about; why, out of all the females that the hive could have had, did he have to find such happiness with a human—a creature that he would normally either kill outright or use as food? Maybe it was just as he'd thought; she was cheerful and optimistic, and he was pessimistic and cynical, and they'd been drawn to each other. It wasn't something that could be explained; it just…_was_. It was and he liked it that way.

"Are you still out there? Because I'm coming out now and you had better cover your….you'd just better not look!"

His mate's warning brought him out of his musings and he quickly turned his back to the door as she came out. The desire to see her was great in him, but he shook it off quickly; they'd just gotten over a fight, no sense in starting another one so soon…she could still leave with Hoshi if she was so inclined.

"_**Are you finished yet?"**_ he asked after a few minutes.

"Yes." She replied, and he turned to face her.

The outfit looked nice on her; not at all like the soldier's uniform he'd envisioned. The shirt fit her form nicely, but the pants hid some of her curves. She hadn't yet put on the boots or socks, so she was barefoot. For the first time, Makoto noticed that the Yamamoto crest was on the uniform's left sleeve, possibly meaning that there were more of them. Why humans liked to put symbols on everything eluded him; his species used scent and other natural marking methods, and they always knew whose property was whose.

"Well; what do you think?" she asked shyly, blushing a little.

"_**You look fine; I'm not exactly an expert on human fashion, though."**_ he said, tail twitching nervously. He had observed something when he was living with Kurai; and that was that human females—and Taki, apparently—could become very hostile when it came to clothes.

She let out a small laugh, before beginning to comb out her hair and tie it back out of her face. After this was done, she put on the socks and boots, then walked to the door.

"Are you coming?" she asked, as the door slid open.

"Oh, yes…of course." he replied, before rising from his sitting position and following.

Adelicia had just stepped out into the hallway, when she almost bumped into Momo, who had apparently been coming to get her up. The Shadow had traded her black kimono for a uniform just like Adelicia's; only hers had the Yamamoto crest over the left breast pocket, instead of the sleeve. At her waist, she carried a Japanese sword in a red sheath, which was held there by a black leather belt. Her hair had been tied back into a tight bun, and she was carrying something in one hand.

"Ah, you're up; good! Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Yes; I believe so." Adelicia said nervously.

"Good; Yamamoto–san's waiting for us in the docking bay. Oh, this is for you." with this last statement, Momo handed Adelicia what she'd been holding; which turned out to be some sort of foreign dagger-like thing.

"It's called a "kodachi". It's sort of like a dagger, but slightly longer. You get the general idea of how to use it, yes?" the Shadow asked.

"Yes…I suppose; but do you really think I'll need it?" the other human asked.

"It's better _not_ to need it and have it." Momo replied. Adelicia sighed and attached the dagger to her belt.

"All right then; are we ready?" the Shadow asked.

The two others nodded, and the three of them began walking down the hall toward the docking bay.


	38. Shisome's Very Own Chapter

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 38

**Shisome's Very Own Chapter**

"Well, that was too good to last." Shisome said, as she woke up to find that her massive egg sac had grown back overnight.

"Mother, are you all right?" Lee asked, coming into the chamber.

"I'm fine; just thinking about how I can't go outside for another month or so." the Queen sighed, gently testing the boundaries of her new organ.

"Oh… Well, at least the rest of us can make you more comfortable…just a moment…" with this, she quickly rushed out of the room and returned a moment later with about six or seven of her hive mates.

Thirty minutes later, Shisome's egg sac was secured to the ceiling via large sheets of resin. It was far better than having the thing on the floor, where the female had to almost crouch under its weight. Feeling somewhat relieved, the female sighed again and started to get on with the events of the day.

"All right, Lee; go get the rest of the hive and bring them to me, please." Shisome directed her daughter. Lee nodded and hurried off to do as she was told. In no time at all, the entire hive, sans Makoto and Adelicia, were assembled before their matriarch, hissing in curiosity as to what she wanted with all of them.

"Is everyone here?" Shisome asked.

"Yes, my Queen!" many voices answered.

"Good. Now, I know that there's been a lot of…unpleasantness…going on lately, and I do understand that everyone's a bit nervous." she began.

"Hoshi Yamamoto is trying to get to the bottom of this mess, and we'll support him in his efforts as best we can, but for the time being, I'm sorry to say that we can do nothing to speed up the investigation. Because of this, I've made a decision; until we can get our claws into whoever dared to send those eggs here, we'll have to go on with business as usual within the hive.

I'm not going to criticize or chide any of you, but there is a lot that still needs to be done around here before this hive is complete. I can only do so much like this, so it's up to the rest of you to get things in order. There's still a great deal of this place that needs a good coating of resin to keep it warm in here, and I don't think that this place is even fully explored yet. I'd like some of you to attend to the resin, and the others to explore the remainder of the caverns. I'd hate for us to come under attack and not even know our own territory fully. Soon we'll have to begin exploring the surrounding area more fully; I don't want us to be caught off guard." she finished. Feather, who was at the front of the group, spoke up.

"But, my Queen; who will guard you if we're gone? You need to be protected above all, especially after what happened recently. Makoto is a guard by birth, and the only one, too; he should have stayed to perform his duty!" the Runner said.

"Makoto had…other matters to tend to. Besides, I've been thinking of that same thing…I suppose I will need a guard of my own…Makoto's experienced; he'll teach them anything they need to know…yes, I think a Royal Guard would be a fine idea." Shisome said, almost to herself.

"Do you want hosts, my Queen?" Swift spoke up, tail twitching for the hunt.

"Yes…please bring me two, if possible." the female answered, then dismissed her children.

Alone now, Shisome had some time to think. She was nervous about the idea, but she had to admit; a couple of more Praetorians would definitely help her if she needed assistance during battle. She was a little nervous, and felt a little bad; she didn't like the idea of bringing two new lives into the world just to make things more convenient for her, but what choice did she have?

Concentrating on what she needed, Shisome sat quietly for some time, before feeling it; the small contractions in her body that meant a new egg would soon arrive. She waited patiently for about five minutes, hoping that she hadn't rushed anything. Finally, she gave a little grunt as the first egg, slightly larger than a normal one, but otherwise the same, made its rather slimy entrance. After a moment, the second egg arrived, with its mother depositing it gently next to the first. Breathing deeply, but not knowing why, Shisome waited patiently for the hosts to be brought to the chamber. She decided that she'd oversee these births herself, if for no other reason than to have some company while the other were busy.

"My children…I hope you will be alright…" the Queen said quietly, a sentiment meant for the whole hive.

Shisome thought back on something Kurai had told her while they were heading to Pluvia. She'd been reading something on a computer, and Shisome, still in her immature stage, had crawled up onto the human's lap and asked what she was doing. Kurai went on to explain that she was looking up something on Xenomorphs, and had found an interesting article about the Queens.

The article had obviously been written by someone who had little real experience with the species, or had simply been repeating what they'd heard somewhere. The person had written that Xenomorph Queens were the only ones who had any sort of real consciousness or personality, and that the other members of the hive were basically just mindless slaves, or extensions of the Queen's will. It went on to say that a Queen didn't really seem to notice or care when one of the lesser ranks was injured or killed—in fact, it said that a hive would kill an injured member in order to keep things running smoothly—because she could just produce more, and that the other members would simply replace a dead Queen with hardly a thought. Shisome had been both insulted and horrified by what she'd heard.

The human author had gotten one thing half right, though; if it was at all possible to do so, a new Queen would be created upon the death of the old one. Shisome scoffed at the human's ignorance and insensitivity. True, Praetorians, Runners, Drones and the like would give their lives for their Queen, but the Queen would mourn them; this Shisome was sure of. It was also true that a Queen would be replaced after the old one died; but that didn't mean that the lower-ranking members wouldn't mourn for her—Makoto had proven that.

She was jarred out of her thoughts by the sound of Swift and another drone—which turned out to be Rain—entering the chamber with two same kind of creature that Valiant had come from.

"Ah, good; please attach those to the wall over there." the female said, gesturing to the nearest wall with her tail.

The two did as they were asked, and soon the two lion-like creatures were encased in hard resin, only their faces and portions of their chests being visible through the thick black substance.

"Now, please take these two eggs over and place them in front of the hosts." Shisome requested. The two Drones obeyed, and in less than a minute of being put down, the eggs opened and the facehuggers—which were of a slightly different color than normal ones—scuttled out and launched themselves at the creatures. There was the briefest of struggles, before the hosts settled down and fell, once again, into unconsciousness.

"You're on your way." Shisome said quietly to her soon-to-be Royal Guard.


	39. Along the Way

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**Yes, I know that it's taking a lot of time for them to get to the ship...**

Starting Over

Part 39

**Along the Way**

"All right; let's set out!" Hoshi said when the two humans and one Xenomorph entered the docking bay.

"So soon?" Adelicia asked.

"Yes; the sooner we get to that ship, the sooner we can begin to sort this out. I was intrigued by these events before; now I'm angry. Nobody, and I do mean _nobody_, infiltrates my family and organization without _serious_ repercussions. When we find the ones responsible for this—and we _will_ find them, make no mistake—they will learn not to trifle with the Yamamoto family and those they protect; and it won't be an easy lesson." Hoshi said darkly. Adelicia got the feeling that the man would follow through on his threats.

"Then you're ready, Yamamoto-san?" Momo asked, looking at her employer, who nodded.

"Then I'll get the hovercraft ready and we'll be off." Ichi said, turning and heading off.

In a moment, he had returned and pressed a button on the docking bay's wall near the door. The ramp extended, allowing the group to see that the hovercraft was parked at the end, waiting for them to enter.

"I assume that Momo gave you a weapon?" the older man asked, as they were walking down the ramp. Makoto was apparently muttering to himself; he hated being in such a small space as the hovercraft.

"Yes; but I do hope that I don't have to use it." The girl said quietly; she hated violence.

"With any luck, you won't have to; but it's always good to be prepared. We've all got weapons, and we're all willing and able to use them." Hoshi said, nodding to where a katana was sheathed on his belt. His was bound in black leather with the Yamamoto crest in silver on the sheath.

"Mr. Yamamoto; does your granddaughter know how to fight as well?" the girl asked.

"Miss Blackwood? Oh, Miss Blackwood knows how to fight! She's a master of tessenjutsu!" Momo said, rather proudly.

"She's no master; but she is very good at what she does." Hoshi said sternly.

"Pardon me, but, tessenjutsu?" Adelicia asked.

"It's the art of using the iron fan—or tessen—to fight. It's become more refined over the past hundred years. You see, the original use of the tessen was to block attacks and perhaps deal a good blow or two with the folded fan; but with modern advancements in weaponry and human thinking, the fan has evolved to have a sharpened edge, turning it into a deadly slashing weapon. The idea behind the fan is to deceive an opponent; who would ever suspect an innocent-looking fan to be a weapon?" Hoshi informed her, as Ichi, who had reappeared, opened the door to let them all in.

"The perfect weapon for Miss Blackwood." Momo said.

"Kurai Blackwood... She must be quite something." Adelicia muttered.

"Indeed she is. She's more like a warrior from the past than a modern girl. I always said that she belonged in feudal Japan; acting as the head of some ninja or samurai clan." Hoshi said quietly.

"She could have taken over the country back then, if she'd wished it." Momo put in, with a slight sigh.

"Indeed." Hoshi agreed.

"_**From what I know of Kurai,"**_ Makoto said, speaking up for the first time, _**"She does things her own way; not even common sense could stop her a few times."**_

"What do you mean, Makoto?" Adelicia asked, as the hovercraft lifted off.

"_**She freed me, for one; and my Queen. She knew what we were, what we could, and possibly would have, done to her; but she freed us."**_ the Xeno said quietly.

"You intrigued her. Likely, you were something new; an interesting diversion to Kurai's rather boring life. I have the same penchant for the new that my granddaughter possesses; her mother had it, too. It's a bit of a Yamamoto family curse, as it were."

"_**She freed us because she was…bored?"**_ Makoto asked.

"Probably; Miss Blackwood's always been like that." Momo mused.

"_**I'm offended."**_ Makoto pouted.

"Don't be; Miss Blackwood obviously liked you, or she wouldn't likely have made the effort to bring you here." Momo spoke up.

"_**And if she didn't?" **_Makoto asked.

Momo shrugged.

"Come now; Miss Blackwood's not like that. She wouldn't have let anything happen to them. She's the kind of person who sees things through to the end. If she found you interesting enough to let you out of your cages, she'll probably stick around; if for nothing else than to see how all this turns out. I'll bet that she'd love to hear about this!" This was from Ichi, who was driving.

"Ah, how I do wish that I could get in contact with Kurai…" Hoshi mused.

"Pardon me, but…where is Miss Blackwood?" Adelicia asked. Hoshi looked at her for a moment, before speaking.

"I suppose that it won't do any harm to tell you; Kurai's in space at the moment—or at least, I assume she is."

"S-space?"

"Yes; she and her friend, Taki, went to live with a race of extraterrestrial hunters called the "Yautja." She is probably trillions of miles away from Earth in some distant galaxy."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yamamoto, but there's no reason to be sarcastic like that…" Adelicia said quietly.

"I'm not being sarcastic. The whole reason that Kurai met Makoto and Shisome is because she went on an outing with a Yautja named Ko."

"And what was…Ko…doing on Earth?" the girl asked.

"Well…he was hunting humans, as is custom for his species."

"What?" Adelicia whispered, horrified.

"Yes; it's an interesting story. Apparently he had been stalking Kurai for quite some time and confronted her. When he lost the fight, he became intrigued with my granddaughter and eventually asked her to join him when he went back to his clan. She eventually accepted his offer, along with Taki Mura, her friend since childhood."

"Why would she go with creatures like that?" the younger girl asked.

"I have two theories; one, she was bored and wanted to try something new. Two, she had some…feelings…for the hunter."

"Oh? Oh! Well, good for her, I suppose." she said.

"Yes, and terribly inconvenient for us. Kurai could have been a great help to us with this whole damned mess." Hoshi said.

"So true." Makoto put in.

"So, what about these "Yautja" creatures?" Adelicia asked.

"Well, I personally don't know much about them other than what Ko told me, but it seems that they live in a tribal type of society where the ones with the best trophies rise to the top while the lesser ones stay at the bottom." the older man explained, reaching for a bottle of water from a small refrigerator, then taking out another and offering it to the girl.

"And by trophies, you mean…?" Adelicia asked, accepting the bottle.

"Human skulls, skins, guns and the like."

"Oh, my! I can't believe they hunt humans…for sport!" she said.

"_**Don't feel bad, Adelicia; they hunt us, too."**_ Makoto said, gently nipping Adelicia's neck.

"You, too?" she asked, rubbing the Xeno's head affectionately, making him purr slightly.

"Oh, yes; they kill Xenomorphs to be accepted into general society." Hoshi informed her, taking a sip from his water bottle.

Makoto growled low in his throat, but the others ignored him.

"So when we get to the ship, what do we do?" Adelicia asked.

"Ichi here will access the computer and try to figure out where the eggs came from. If we can get at least one lead, we can get started." the Yamamoto family's patriarch said.

"And if he can't?"

"Then we'll think of something else—ah, here we are!" Hoshi said.

The others all looked outside to see that they were indeed at the ship. Though she had been back several times since, Adelicia still became a little nervous whenever she saw the ship again.

The hovercraft came to a stop just in front of the ship, and Ichi quickly got out to open the doors for the others.

Taking a breath, Adelicia stepped out of the craft and looked up at the ship. Silently she hoped that they found something onboard.

"You know the code, yes, Adelicia?" Momo asked.

"Oh? Oh, yes…of course…" she said. Walking over to the ship's access panel by the door, she put the code in and quickly got out of the way as the door opened and the ramp extended.

"Here we go…" the girl said, then began to lead them up the ramp.


	40. They Finally Arrive at the Ship, Yay!

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**Sorry for that last chapter; here's an especially long chapter to make up for getting your hopes up for a new chapter last time.**

Starting Over

Part 40

**They Finally Arrive at the Ship, Yay!**

"My, my; what happened here?" Momo asked, as the group entered the ship and saw the damage from the Xenomorphs' attack.

"_**We happened."**_ Makoto hissed, looking around the ship.

"If you'll lead me to the ship's computer, I'll start looking for the information we need." Ichi stated, gazing around at the scratch marks on the walls and the droplets of crimson on the floors.

"Very well; come along." Adelicia said, turning in the direction of the desired location, with Ichi and Makoto following her.

"I don't understand a damn thing about computers; I'll wait here until you return." Hoshi declared.

"I'll stay with you, Yamamoto –san." Momo said.

*******

"Sir, what do you expect to find here?" Momo asked her master, as the two watched the others depart.

"Records of where they got the eggs, who they got them from; something, anything to help us get a lead. Those boxes had Yamamoto crests on them, meaning that someone within my company or connected to it had something to do with it." her employer said, dusting off a nearby chair with a handkerchief and sitting down.

"But sir; surely they got the eggs from those people whom Meisai was working for?"

"That is the most likely case, Momo; but we have to consider all the possibilities here." the older man said, leaning back in the chair.

"Yes, sir; I'll follow wherever you will lead, me and the rest of the Shadows." Momo said.

"Thank you, Momo."

*******

"The computer room's up ahead. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about the computers within; I was never allowed in there, not even to clean." Adelicia said as she walked down the hall toward the room.

"It's fine; I'll figure out the computers. It shouldn't be too hard, seeing as how the rest of this ship is at least twenty years old." Ichi said.

"_**So, say that we do find something; what then?"**_ Makoto asked.

"We'll report anything we find to Yamamoto-san, then he'll decide what we'll do next." the shadow said.

The three of them finally reached the door to the computer room. Momo put in what she hoped was the code and waited a moment. Luck was on their side, and the door slid open with a hiss.

"Just as I thought; these computers are old as dirt." the Shadow said, entering the room first.

"Not the one in the control room; it's one of the latest, you might be able to use it if these don't work." Adelicia offered.

"Thanks, but a computer such as one for a ship's control room wouldn't likely hold the information we need. I may check it, though, for information regarding where this ship has been as of late and cross-reference it against the information we get from here." Ichi informed her, going over to the computer and sitting down in the chair there. From his pocket he pulled what looked like a flash drive and activated the computer before inserting the device into the hard drive.

"_**What is that?" **_Makoto asked, walking over to get a better look. Adelicia had noticed that Makoto had a curiosity regarding humans, especially their technology. He found the fact that her species had invented things that did everything from heating food to exploring other planets absolutely fascinating.

"It's a device that will allow me access into areas of this computer that I may not be able to enter." the Shadow explained.

"_**How do you enter a computer? I don't see any doors on this thing…."**_ Makoto said, walking around the terminal.

"You don't enter it through doors, you have to… Never mind; I'll explain it to you later." Ichi said, cracking his knuckles and beginning to type on the keyboard.

"_**Please do; you humans and your devices intrigue me."**_ the Xenomorph said, walking over to a corner and laying down. Seeing that she could do nothing to help, Adelicia went off to the kitchen of the ship; no use leaving all those pots and pans here to collect dust…

Makoto hurried to join her as she left, his claws leaving small marks on the floor. The girl had to laugh at the Xeno's actions. Makoto was like a puppy; he followed her around wherever she went.

"_**So if we find the information on where the eggs came from, we can find who gave them to your old crew, yes?"**_ Makoto asked.

"Yes; and we can get on the right track to figuring this all out." his mate replied, turning a corner and opening the door that led to the kitchen. The place was exactly as she had left it; including the pot of food that she had been making the day Makoto had taken her from the ship.

"Ugh! What an awful smell!" the girl exclaimed when she drew nearer the pot on the stove. Cautiously, she looked inside the vessel and nearly gagged at what was inside. This would take some serious scrubbing.

"_**You're lucky; you smell it, I taste it!"**_ Makoto said, and indeed, he was rubbing his mouth with one hand and drooling like crazy.

"Ohhh, I'm sorry, Makoto! Adelicia said, going over to the Xeno and taking his massive head in her hands and kissing his muzzle. He calmed down, but let out a little whining sound.

"Let me take care of this…" the girl said, grabbing the pot and an apron that was hanging on a hook on the wall and beginning to carry it outside to dispose of the decomposing contents. Luckily, she had turned off the stove a second before she'd turned around to see Makoto on the day she'd been taken, or there could have been serious problems.

Makoto followed her, keeping a good distance between himself and the pot. Adelicia laughed to herself as she rounded a corner and heard the Xenomorph scrabbling to stay out of the stench of the rotting food.

"Adelicia; what are you doing?"

The girl looked up from her task to see Hoshi, who was sitting in a chair and looking at her oddly.

"Oh? Oh, Mr. Ichi didn't need me, so I went to the kitchen to get some utensils to bring back to the hive…" she explained.

"Ah, I see; carry o- _BY THE BUDDHA, WHAT'S THAT STENCH?" _the older man suddenly cried.

"Well, it's a long story, sort of…" Adelicia said sheepishly.

"Tell me later; just _please_, do something about whatever's in that pot!" he said, covering his nose with a sleeve of his kimono.

"Sir, I couldn't find anywhere I could get you a glass of wa- OH, GODS, WHAT'S THAT?" Momo cried, entering the room from another hallway.

"It's whatever's in that pot!" Hoshi said, his voice somewhat muffled by his sleeve.

"Please, Adelicia; get it out of here!" Momo said, rushing over to the other girl and gently pushing her toward the still-open door.

"Go with her, Makoto; you might have to fight the demon that's surely lurking in there!" Hoshi said, his eyes beginning to water.

"_**What's a demon?"**_ Makoto asked curiously.

"NEVER MIND; JUST GO!" Momo cried. Adelicia jumped in surprise and hurried out the door, with Makoto close—but not too close—behind her.

The two of them hurried down the ramp, around the hovercraft, and into the surrounding forest. Adelicia had brought a spoon with her, and she began to use it to scoop as much of the rancid food out as she could.

The contents smelled worse—if that were possible—once she'd scraped the first, hard layer off the top. After fifteen minutes, Adelicia had actually managed to get the majority of the food out of the pot and had deposited it into a large hole that Makoto had dug for the purpose.

When she had finished, Makoto hurriedly buried the food and proceeded to pile rocks on the hole.

"_**So that no creature is unfortunate enough to eat this."**_ he explained.

"That's quite…considerate…of you." the girl

"Not really; I don't want to run the risk of one of our hive accidentally catching an animal that's eaten this and gotten sick. That would be the absolute last thing we need right now." he said, kicking more dirt onto the hole.

"Well, now we need to wash this thing out…" Adelicia said, changing the subject.

"_**I know where there's a river near here; you can wash it out there."**_ Makoto suggested.

"Why don't we just take it back to the ship; we can wash it out there." the girl said, perplexed.

"_**Come on; I can still taste that stench; so you must be able to smell it."**_

"You're right; lead the way."

Makoto led her to a small river that was about an eighth of a mile away. There were boulders along the edge, trapping water in dozens of smaller pools. These were warmed by the sun to a point that they were quite hot, and Adelicia decided to use one of these pools to wash the pot and spoon.

"Nothing to scrub with…" she said quietly to herself, looking around. Suddenly, she hit on an idea. Grabbing a handful of sand, she used it to vigorously scrub the inside of the pot, making a disgusted face as her bare hands touched the slimy food stuck inside. After five minutes, the cooking implement was shining and clean, then she moved on to the spoon. All this time, Makoto watched curiously.

"_She's almost like a Drone; the way she cleans things…" _he thought to himself.

"All right; I think we can go back now." Adelicia said, standing and wiping her hands on her apron.

"_**Hm?" **_Makoto asked, making the human look at him. He had something in his mouth, and a small puddle of what could have been blood at his feet.

"Oh, Makoto! What are you doing?" the human cried.

Makoto swallowed whatever it was he was chewing on and looked at the girl inquisitively.

"_**Just having a snack."**_ he replied.

"That's awful!" Adelicia exclaimed, staring at him with her eyes wide in horror.

"_**I have to eat, too."**_ he said offhandedly.

"I know, but...it just seems so cruel…" she said.

"_**It's not like I ate it alive…I killed it first. I'm not a monster, you know. Let's get back to the ship; that human surely found something by now."**_ Makoto said, changing the subject. Adelicia nodded and went to pick up the pot and spoon, while Makoto used the pool to wash his face and hands.

The two made sure that they weren't forgetting anything, and set out for the ship.

*******

"Here we are sir; some cold water." Momo said, handing the glass to Hoshi.

"Thank you, Momo. Ah, I can still smell that stench…" he said a moment later.

"So can I, but other than that, Adelicia keeps a very clean kitchen. Even the cans in the cupboard were organized, can you believe it? The cooks back home don't even keep their cans organized!"

"They don't? Well, that explains why dinner is late nine times out of ten." the Shadow's employer mumbled.

The two of them were surprised by a noise coming from outside. Drawing their weapons and jumping up, they met the intruder at the door; ready to do battle.

*******

"Eep!" Adelicia squeaked as she was confronted by the two black-robed figures brandishing weapons. In half a second found herself on her rear a few feet down the ramp as Makoto, hissing and snarling, pushed her out of the way. The pot flew out of her hands, the spoon landing beside her. The cooking implement flew through the air, almost landing on one of the black-clad figures, but the other quickly knocked it out of the way, sending it again into the air…to come crashing down on Makoto's head. The Xenomorph yelped in surprise and pain as the pot—dented now from the impact—clattered to the ground…right back in front of Adelicia.

"Adelicia! Makoto!" a familiar voice came to the English girl's ears. Looking up from the pot, she saw that the figures were indeed Hoshi and Momo.

"Sorry about that; we had no idea it was you!" Hoshi said, rushing over to help Adelicia up, while Momo took a look at Makoto's head.

"Are you all right?" the Shadow asked the Xenomorph.

"_**I'm fine; I've been hit on the head before… Adelicia!"**_ he said suddenly, rushing over to the girl, who was bending down to pick up the spoon.

"I'm okay, Makoto; just a little addled… Oh, my; the pot!" she cried, picking it up. She let out a sigh when she saw that it was too damaged to be used again; there was a very large and very noticeable dent in it.

"_**I think that I can straighten it out…"**_ the Praetorian said, taking it from her. Inserting a hand into the pot, he pushed and pulled for about five minutes. The steel bent easily in his grip, and when he handed it back to her, she could see that it was indeed repaired; the dent was almost completely gone, and the pot was ready for service in the kitchen again.

"Thank you, Makoto." Adelicia said gratefully.

"Indeed; you did a wonderful job!" Momo said. The two others had been watching in fascination the entire time.

"I can see now why it's so hard for humans to contain your species… I'll have to make a note of this for the future…"Hoshi commented.

"Anyway," Adelicia said quickly, noticing the look Makoto gave Hoshi, "let's go inside and see if Mr. Ichi is getting anything from the computer."

"Good idea." Momo agreed quietly, eying the Praetorian.

The four of them walked inside the ship, with Adelicia setting pot, apron and spoon on a table, and proceeded down the hallways toward the computer room.

"Have you found anything of interest, Ichi?" Hoshi asked, when they arrived at their destination.

"Plenty, but nothing of interest to _us_… Hold up; here's something… Ah, yes, this is interesting… I think I may have found something, after all…but I'll need a couple of minutes; this particular file is protected by at least three passwords, which is suspicious in and of itself." Ichi replied, still typing away. The others took the opportunity to take up various positions around the room to wait; Hoshi, Momo and Adelicia were sitting on chairs, while Makoto relaxed on the floor, long tail swishing through the air lazily.

They began to talk amongst themselves; discussing what would happen if there were no leads. One idea of Hoshi's was to examine the computer that controlled the course of the ship and check every place that it had landed in the past year.

"But, Mr. Yamamoto; that will take ages!" Adelicia said.

"I know; but if Ichi doesn't find anything, I don't see many other options." the older man replied.

"Oh, I've found something." Ichi said, turning around and startling the others.

"What did you say, Ichi?" Hoshi asked.

"I said I've found something, sir; and you're not going to like it."


	41. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**Try to stay with me here, people! It's all been building up to this; and soon The Insanity Continues will begin again!**

Starting Over

Part 41

**Pieces of the Puzzle**

"What is it, what did you find?" Hoshi asked, rising quickly and hurrying over to where Ichi was sitting. The Shadow, despite himself, put on a smug grin, but this was replaced with a stern, serious face when Hoshi looked at him.

"Well sir," Ichi began, straightening up, "it seems that those thieves did in fact keep records; very detailed ones, and those records included many interesting…acquisitions…"

"Yes, yes, go on." Momo said.

"Well, within those records is the information we need. I hacked into the file containing the info and found that the eggs weren't in Yamamoto crates by accident."

"So…there is someone in my company who's been very naughty…" Hoshi mused.

"_So _very naughty… The captain of the crew documented that a woman put out a call that she was selling some very valuable and very hard to come by merchandise to the first group who wanted to buy it. The computer message—which the late captain so kindly included—says that the woman, who didn't give a name, was going to sell the merchandise a an extremely low price, but that said merchandise could be sold for at least ten times that amount."

"What else does it say?" Adelicia asked.

"It says here that the woman would only sell the eggs on one condition; and that was that the crew of the ship had to have at least five members."

"Five members…for five eggs…the rest of us were…" Adelicia began.

"_**Food, most likely."**_ Makoto stated simply, and Adelicia looked at him in shock.

"When the crew arrived at the rendezvous point, the captain says that it was an old Yamamoto facility; a factory or something. He wrote that the eggs were in Yamamoto crates, but they didn't know what they were at first. The woman, who called herself Ms. Stone, told the crew about what she was selling. At first, a couple of them were against it, but then, when they heard a rough estimate of the price that they could hope to ask for the eggs, they caved. The woman then suggested a place where the men could go to escape the law, who would surely be looking for the eggs."

"Let me guess; Pluvia?" Hoshi asked.

"Exactly." Ichi confirmed.

"But that doesn't explain where she got the eggs from; my company doesn't do research involving Xenomorph eggs. We may confer with other scientists on the subject of the creatures, but we don't raise them. Why would this woman, whoever she is, have Yamamoto crates and meet in a Yamamoto building?" Hoshi asked, half to himself.

"Maybe—and this is just a thought here—maybe this doesn't really involve your company at all, sir." Momo said.

"What are you getting at, Peaches?" Ichi asked.

"It's Momo, you piece of techno trash! Don't try me today! Anyway, what if this woman is just trying to make us think that she's someone in the company? That way, we'd be looking for a traitor, instead of finding the real culprit."

"That's idiotic, Peaches." Ichi said.

"Enough, Ichi! Momo, you've made a very interesting point… Perhaps we have been on the wrong track here… I will get someone to investigate within the company, but I'll also get someone to start looking into this Ms. Stone."

"_**Stone…that's the last name of the human that imprisoned me and Shisome… "**_ Makoto said quietly.

"What happened to him?" Momo asked.

"_**Well, I killed him for the many, many cruelties he imposed upon us during out captivity. I killed him right in front of Kurai…"**_ the Praetorian recollected.

"That was you? I heard that he died in a lab accident." Ichi said.

"_**What are you talking about? Are you saying that you've heard of him?"**_ Makoto asked, walking over to Ichi.

In response, Ichi turned around in the chair and began typing on the keyboard again, this time bringing up a picture of the man named Stone, at which Makoto hissed.

"Well, yeah; he is—or was—the head of a rather small but important company called Stone Pharmaceuticals; they did some genetic research, though I don't know if it involved Xenos or not." Ichi said, reading the information.

"What does it say about him?" Hoshi asked, indicating the computer.

"Let's see… His name was Ivan Stone; his death is listed as a laboratory accident… Birth date, short biography, medical degrees in…oh, genetic engineering and Xenobiology, high-ranking member of the United Science Association, unmarried, no children, one sister—" Ichi read out loud.

"Sister? Is there anything on her?" Hoshi asked.

"Yes; almost as much as her brother… Ah, here we go… Her name's Irene Stone, and she's…one year younger than her brother…she's got most of the same degrees as her brother, but she's also got a grant giving her permission to perform experiments in human cloning…odd business, that… She took over the family company after her brother's death; apparently went on as though nothing happened. She's been in and out of work at odd times for the past few weeks, it seems… She's been claiming that it's work for what she calls her masterpiece… Nothing much more on her; unmarried, no children, parents died about eight years ago… I'll try to find more on these two, sir." Ichi concluded.

"Later; we have all the information we need to know for now." Hoshi said darkly.

"So, I guess that this means that Makoto killed this woman's brother, yes?" Adelicia asked.

"_**It would appear that way; but I regret nothing."**_ Makoto said.

"Come now, Makoto; you can't be that cold!" Momo said, looking at the Praetorian. Makoto, in turn, put his face quite close to the Shadow's.

"_**You've no idea, human, just how cold I can be."**_ he hissed, making the Shadow raise an eyebrow.

"Stop it, both of you! Now, let's look at what we know so far." Adelicia said; she always was the peacemaker in the hive.

"All right then." Momo said, moving away from the Xeno.

"Well, it would seem that Ms. Stone has gotten hold of some Xenomorph eggs." Ichi began.

"Which she then sold to the crew of this ship, apparently intending for them to become hosts for the Xenomorphs within." Momo said.

"_**Then, she just happened to suggest a planet for them to hide out on." **_Makoto added, his tail twitching.

"The very same planet where Kurai took the Xenomorph that killed her brother." Hoshi said.

"So…it was a revenge thing?" Ichi asked.

"It would appear so." Momo agreed.

"But, there's one thing I don't understand; why would she send the eggs? Why didn't she just come here and kill the hive herself?" Adelicia asked.

"Who's to say she didn't come here?" Ichi asked.

"_**What do you mean?"**_ this was Makoto.

"Well, what about that woman from earlier? Didn't you say that she mentioned the eggs before she flew off with Meisai?" Ichi inquired of his comrade.

"Yes…yes she did… Do you think, sir, that that woman was Irene Stone?" Momo asked, turning to Hoshi.

"I think it was, Momo; I think that she sent Meisai here to spy on us, to keep us busy while she attacked Shisome and the rest of the hive."

"What I don't understand is, why didn't she kill Shisome, or have one of her lackeys do it, when she had the chance?" Adelicia asked, confused.

"Maybe it was a test? She tried to kill Shisome, but the rest of the hive was getting in the way, and Makoto wasn't there at the hive anyway. It would have made a lot more sense for her to just order Meisai to kill Makoto or something; save her the trouble." said Ichi.

"Maybe Makoto wasn't the one she was after…maybe she's planning something bigger… And what of Kurai? She mentioned Kurai when she was taunting us before she escaped; she said that she sent her a message, didn't she?" Momo asked her employer.

'Yes, she did; but I doubt that she knows where exactly Kurai went; for all she knows, Kurai could be at home now. I didn't exactly go public with the knowledge, after all." the older man replied.

"She can't possibly know that, Yamamoto-san! She must think that Kurai is still on Earth; Miss Blackwood isn't exactly what you might call "at home" in the public eye." Ichi said, leaning back in the chair.

"But the question remains; how did she know that Kurai had any hand in this at all? And how did she know that Makoto killed her brother?" Adelicia asked, resting a hand on the Xenomorph's head.

"The security cameras at the museum! I asked the Midnight to take the footage of what happened the night that Kurai rescued Makoto and Shisome…but he was told to place the footage in a locked vault. No one could have gotten that footage except for me, one of the Shadows, or someone I gave permission to get it." Hoshi said.

"But sir, I think that a Shadow did get it…or at least, someone pretending to be one." Ichi said.

"Meisai." they all said together.

"She must have been planted there by Irene Stone." Makoto stated quietly.

"But how? How did Stone find out about Kurai in the first place?" Adelicia asked.

"There was a man at the museum…Dawson, I think his name was; he might have told her." Hoshi suggested.

"Who's this Dawson person?" Adelicia asked the older man.

"_**He was the owner of the place that Shisome and I were in when Kurai found us. From what Kurai told me, he took a very large sum of human currency in exchange for letting Kurai have a private viewing of us. Apparently, this was highly illegal, and Stone—the brother, that is—reprimanded Dawson quite harshly for it." **_Makoto informed them.

"Stone may have bribed him, or threatened him, either way." Momo said excitedly. They had almost the entire puzzle figured out now.

"_**How, though, did she get the eggs?" **_Makoto asked, and the humans looked at each other.

"Her brother kept you and Shisome, and you yourself told me that there were several more Xenomorphs besides the two of you at Stone's lab; she could have easily taken a few of them and said that it was research. No one would question her, since she was the head of that company." Adelicia pointed out.

"Now the question is; what's her plan; and what's she going to do next?" Hoshi said quietly.


	42. Family History

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

Starting Over

Part 42

**Family History**

"_**So…this Ms. Stone person has done all this?"**_ Shisome asked, as a couple of Drones gently removed flakes of resin from her body.

The group had gone back to _The Adamant_ after researching a little more on Adelicia's ship. They'd found out that Irene Stone and her company had been loosely tied to a series of USCM-funded excursions to various planets in recent years. Something was amiss, and they all knew it, but none of them could figure it out.

"Yes, and she's the sister of the man who held you and Makoto captive." Adelicia pointed out, and the Queen growled.

"He's also the one that I assume opened your egg, Shisome; either himself or by ordering someone else do it." Hoshi said quietly.

"_**Yes, and if Kurai hadn't gotten us out of there, I would have died before I could have been truly born. She was even good enough to offer herself as my host; with your help too, of course, Hoshi."**_ Shisome muttered, her tail swishing through the air.

"Now that we have a lead—" Momo began.

"One hell of a lead." Ichi piped up.

"Quite…Now that we have a lead, we can start to investigate. With your permission, sir, I'll get some of the Midnights or Twilights back on Earth to go get some information on Ms. Stone." Momo suggested.

"Wait a moment; Midnights? Twilights? What are you talking about, Ms. Momo?" Adelicia asked, confused.

"Best explain it to her, Peaches." Ichi said.

Momo shot the Shadow a vicious look before turning back to the girl.

"Come along; I'll explain things to you." she said, taking Adelicia by the arm.

"As you know, Adelicia, Ichi and I are Shadows. We are protectors and servants of the Yamamoto family and have been for hundreds and hundreds of years. Now, just above us in status are the Twilights; they are basically just Shadows with a few more skills. Then there are the Midnights; every single Shadow dreams of becoming a Midnight. They are the most elite among the elite; they are the deadliest soldiers, the most tenacious detectives, and the stealthiest assassins on the planet. If there's someone you want information on, the Midnights will bring you their entire life story, if there's someone you want dead, he'll be in the afterlife within the day. By you, I mean the Yamamoto family, of course." Momo explained, and Adelicia's eyes went wide.

"Th-that sounds like…like some kind of…army." she whispered.

"Not officially; but they could be called on to be an army at a moment's notice. It wouldn't be the first time that the Yamamoto family has been forced to mobilize us for such a purpose." the Shadow told her.

"What do you mean?" Adelicia asked.

"Well, I heard from a Midnight once that the Yamamoto family had every single Shadow, Twilight and Midnight out on high alert. This was about eight hundred years ago, mind you, and the entire Iron Fan Clan was at war with an army of samurai who were serving the Shoguns of the nearby regions."

"What happened?" Adelicia whispered, fascinated.

"One thousand men died that day. Nine hundred and ninety-seven of them were the enemy; the other three were new, inexperienced recruits to the Shadow organization. The Shoguns who organized the battle were beheaded on orders from the leader of the Yamamoto family; Kurai Yamamoto. Once this was done, not a single person rose up to even question the Iron Fan Clan for another five hundred years."

"Did you say Kurai?"

"Kurai is a family name; it's considered an honor to be blessed with it. In fact, the Kurai in the story I just told you was only the second to have that name. The first was the original Kurai Yamamoto, who was the daughter of the founder of the Iron Fan Clan." Momo explained, leaning against an outcropping of rock.

"What is the Iron Fan Clan?" the younger girl asked. She was finding this family more and more fascinating…and frightening.

"The Iron Fan Clan is comprised of three families; the Yamamoto family, who are the most powerful, the Kawamoto and the Morimoto, who are both on equal footing with each other. All three families are immensely powerful and influential, but the Yamamoto family is the only one that is so widely known outside of Japan."

"Miss Blackwood is so lucky…" Adelicia said dreamily.

"Indeed she is; she's got everything that anyone could want, but I don't think that she's really happy." Momo said, picking at a piece of resin.

"Not happy? Why wouldn't she be?" Adelicia inquired.

"Well, her mother died when she was about six, and then her father disappeared when she was fourteen. Her best friend Taki's parents, whom she loved dearly, died within a few years of each other, and after her father vanished she was…well…"

"She was what?"

"Well, she was sent to a mental institution for a few months. She said that on the day her father died, she saw a weird shimmering in the air. The doctors attributed it to either the heat of the California sun or the stress of having her father vanish. Several Midnights were sent out to investigate, but we still don't know what happened to him, and believe me; it's a true rarity when a Midnight can't find out some information. You know, there are still people who think that Kurai murdered her father; I have no idea what would make them think that." said Momo, cocking her head.

"Perhaps…for the inheritance? Adelicia offered.

"Not likely; Kurai's father was a good man, but he was hardly a rich man. In truth, he came from a background similar to yours, Adelicia."

"What was her father like?"

"He was a good and generous person; he started out poor, but made some money in some venture or other and went to Japan, where he met Ms. Yanagi Yamamoto, Kurai's mother. Hoshi liked him, but his wife, Ishi…not so much, not at first, anyway. Eventually she got a soft spot for him and welcomed him as a son. The man really was charming, you know. It's a real shame that he's gone. The two got married and Kurai was born about four years later. Now, Mr. Blackwood wanted to name the baby something American, but Yanagi wanted to have her daughter have a Japanese name. A game of paper scissors stone settled it, and a Japanese name was given to the infant. You know, Kurai wasn't the first choice for the baby, but Yanagi thought that she looked a little like an ancient painting of the first Kurai, so that became her name." Momo looked up suddenly.

"Sorry; I was rambling." the Shadow apologized.

"It's all right. What was Mr. Blackwood's name?"

"It was Vail, I believe."

"Vail Blackwood? That's a lovely name…an English name, I think…" Adelicia thought out loud.

"Well, let's go back to the others; Yamamoto-san is likely wondering what's taking us so long." Momo said at last.

Adelicia nodded and together the two women began to head back to Shisome's chamber.

As they neared the chamber, a clamoring above them made them look up…just in time to see two massive shapes dropping from the ceiling like living darkness.


	43. Royal Guards and New Guests

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**Okay, I've said it before and I'll say it again; I'm really, really sorry about not being able to update, so here's more Starting Over. Oh, and has anyone heard about the live-action Avatar movie? Is it really being directed by M. Knight? Shyamalan? What does everyone think of this, because I don't know how I feel just yet, being an Avatar fan and all. Thoughts?**

Starting Over

Part 43

**Royal Guards and New Guests**

"AAAAAHHHHH!" the two women screamed, clinging to one another.

_Meanwhile…._

"What was that?" Hoshi asked, his head jerking in the direction of the sound of the two women's cries.

"_**Oh, no! It's the Royal Guard! I forgot to tell them about Adelicia!"**_ Shisome said, in a frightened sort of voice.

Makoto was on his feet in less than two seconds.

"_**How many?"**_ he hurriedly asked his Queen.

"_**Two; a male and a female."**_ she responded, and Makoto was gone in a flash of black chitin.

"_I've got to save them; they won't stand a chance alone!"_ the Praetorian thought frantically as he ran in the direction he'd heard the screams from.

_Meanwhile…_

"Momo….what do we do?" Adelicia whispered, frightened. The two Xenomorphs circled the two humans slowly, drooling thickly and snarling at the slightest movement. One of them was what Adelicia recognized as a male; a dark black creature with a large crest on his head like Makoto's. The other one was smaller–but only slightly–and was a dark grey color; Adelicia noticed that that one was a female. The Shadow had pulled the other girl back out of the way just in time to avoid being pinned to the ground by the two Xenomorphs. They knelt in the middle of the "hall", holding each other in fear.

"I…I don't know…just…just stay still…I'll figure out something…" the Shadow whispered, and Adelicia could feel that she was trembling.

"_**Adelicia!"**_

The brunette turned at the sound of a familiar voice. Makoto stood there in the doorway, hissing and ready for a possible battle. In a flash, he had leapt in front of the two humans and hissed a warning at the two Praetorians.

"You are of this hive as well… What are you doing protecting these humans?" the male asked, cocking his head.

"Yes, they were attempting to enter our Queen's chamber… Do you not care about her safety?" the female hissed.

"Of course I do; but these two are no threat to our Queen!" Makoto

"Oh? And how do you know that?" the male asked.

"Because that one is my friend, and this one is my mate! Ask Shisome if you don't believe me!"

"It's true; they are my friends, and always welcome here." Shisome said gently.

The two other Praetorians stopped hissing and snarling. Slowly, each of them circled the humans, getting a better look and smell of them.

"_**We apologize for our behavior; but it is out duty to protect our Queen at all costs."**_ the male said.

"_**Yes; we never would have treated you so if we'd known that you are welcome here." **_the female agreed.

"It's…it's quite all right." Adelicia said, wiping some of the terror sweat from her brow.

"Adelicia! Momo! Are you all right?"

It was Hoshi. He'd been running behind Makoto, but his age and his inability to see in the dark made him far slower than the Xenomorph he was tracking. Ichi came running behind him, followed closely by Lee.

"We're fine, sir; just a little misunderstanding is all." Momo explained, brushing some of the dust from her kimono.

"Misunderstanding? I'll say!" Hoshi said, looking over the still pale-faced Shadow and her friend.

The two Praetorians shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, as if unsure of how to proceed. Luckily, Shisome broke the awkward silence.

"_**So, Hoshi; what is our next move?"**_ she asked.

"Well, mine will be to get back to Earth as soon as possible and begin to figure out how to go about this whole affair. Kurai's incommunicado at the moment, or I'd ask her to help us, and your hive, Shisome, is, let's face it, pretty useless at this point."

"_**Useless?"**_ Lee asked, slightly offended.

"Unfortunately, yes. You've got no transport off this planet. That ship of Adelicia's may work, but she's got no idea of how to pilot it. Sadly, there's nothing you can do for the moment but to stay here and train for a battle." the old human replied.

"_**Wait a moment; you're saying that we just have to wait for the enemy to come to us?"**_ Lee asked.

"It looks that way."

"_**But…but if they return en masse, we'll be helpless! There's no way that we can defend ourselves if they return when Hoshi and the others are gone!"**_ the little Drone protested.

"_**We're not exactly "helpless", Lee."**_ Makoto told her.

"He's right; you are a formidable force." Momo agreed.

"_**But we failed to protect our Queen when those humans came to our hive earlier! And Makoto, you said that their weapons destroyed your original hive with ease, yes? There's not much we'll be able to do if all of them are as well-trained as the ones from before!"**_

"_**All we can do is protect our home and our Queen. I suspect that that's why we now have two more of the Royal Guard."**_ Makoto said quietly, looking at the two newest members of the hive.

"_**And we'll do our duty; to our dying breath!"**_ the male Praetorian said determinedly.

"_**As will we all."**_ Makoto replied, nodding to the two.

"But what about Adelicia?" Momo asked, looking at the girl, who had wondered off to lean against the wall; she still seemed shaken from her encounter with the two Praetorians.

"_**What about her?"**_ Makoto asked.

"She can't defend herself like you can, Makoto. She nearly fainted a few moments ago; you can't expect her to join in any fight that could occur. She's got no training; or even the will to join in battle." the Shadow said quietly.

"_**She'll have to learn; she can do it."**_ Makoto said, more to himself than to the others.

"_**But from who? She can't fight like we can…though, if she were on Earth, maybe–"**_ Lee put in.

"_**No! I just got her back; I can't lose her again."**_ Makoto said quickly.

"Learn from a Xenomorph…probably not; but perhaps…" Hoshi mused quietly.

"Perhaps what, Yamamoto-san?" Momo asked her employer.

"I was just thinking–and this is just a vague idea, mind you–that perhaps…one of you Shadows can stay here on Pluvia." the older man said.

"Pardon me, Yamamoto-san?" Momo said.

"Just hear me out, Momo. If one of you were to stay here, not only could you train Adelicia, but you could also serve as a kind of watchmen. If they come back, the Shadow could help defend the hive and alert us as soon as possible."

"Who…who do you have in mind?" Momo asked.

"Whoever volunteers for the job, I guess." Hoshi replied.

"What's wrong, Peaches; don't wanna give up your life on Earth?" Ichi asked.

"Shut up, Ichi…" Momo muttered.

"What; you don't like a dark, hot, resin-covered cave? Can't be too different from your last boyfriend's bedroom, if your friends are to be believed."

"Die, pig!" she snarled back.

"Enough! You two should get married, I swear! Now, we need volunteers, or I might be tempted to assign someone…" Hoshi said, and the two Shadows went quiet, but still glared at each other.

"_**What's going on in here?"**_ Feather asked, coming into the room.

"_**We're trying to figure out which one, if any, of the Shadows will be staying with our hive when Hoshi leaves."**_ Lee informed the Runner.

"_**What do you mean, "if any"?"**_

"_**Well, it seems that these two don't seem too enticed by the idea."**_ Makoto said.

"_**Oh? And why exactly not?"**_ Feather asked, looking at the humans.

"_**I don't know; but I'm personally offended."**_ Lee joked.

"_**I think that I might be, too… Yes; I'm offended."**_ Makoto agreed.

"We didn't mean anything by it; just that…we might be more comfortable living in more…human…accommodations." Ichi muttered.

"Though, come to think of it, Adelicia does seem to be doing quite nicely here." Momo said.

"_**Indeed she is."**_ Makoto said, looking over at his mate, who had recovered somewhat and was coming back over to join the group.

"All right; what's been going on? What did I miss?" the girl asked, pulling her sweat-dampened hair out of her face.

"_**Well, we've been discussing things, and it appears that it might be a good idea to leave one of the Shadows here when Hoshi leaves. The problem is picking one of them to stay."**_ Makoto said, bringing her up to speed.

"I'll have to get them all out here to see if anyone will volunteer for this." Hoshi muttered. Reaching into a pocket on his kimono, he pulled out a small holophone and pushed a couple of buttons. Laying it on the floor, he waited patiently. In a few moments, a full-color hologram came into view. A Shadow–this one a man with short brownish hair and moustache–came into view. Adelicia was impressed; Hoshi's phone was far more advanced than the ones she'd grown up using, which gave only a blurry, two-dimensional image.

"Yes, Yamamoto-san?" the man asked.

"Captain Hiro; please assemble all the Shadows onboard _The Adamant_ for a mass communication. Tell them that it is of great importance that all of them attend." Hoshi said. The Shadow nodded, saluted, and terminated the transmission.

In less than a minute, the holophone came back on, but the image was much larger, owing to the fact that at least thirty Shadows were situated around a large table facing the device.

"We're all here, sir." Captain Hiro announced.

"Good, then we can begin. It appears as though it would be of great benefit to everyone if one of you Shadows would…would remain on Pluvia with the Xenomorphs."

There was a general muttering among the assembly of black-clad figures, and heads could be seen turning as they conversed with one another about what they had just heard.

"Yamamoto-san, if I may ask," said one Shadow, a woman with long blonde hair, "did we hear you correctly? Did you just say that one of us should live with the creatures?" the others all looked at their employer questioningly.

"You heard right, Himiko; but you won't just be living with them, you'll serve as a defender of the hive and a martial arts instructor to the woman Adelicia. Your job will be to guard the place and report to me a regular basis about anything out of the ordinary. Now, are there any volunteers? Know only that I would appreciate willing volunteers; I won't force anyone to go through with this." With this, he waited for the crowd to talk amongst themselves again.

"Well? Have you reached a decision?" Hoshi asked, after a few minutes. The entire room was quiet, each Shadow trying to look around discretely to see if his or her neighbors would speak up.

"Glad to see so many willing participants…" the older man muttered.

"I'll do it." a voice spoke up.

"Who is that?" Hoshi asked, looking around.

"Jim , sir; I said that I'd do it." The shadow stood up, and the others looked at him.

"And what makes you qualified?" Hoshi asked.

"Well, firstly, I've studied the Xenomorphs for quite a number of years, so I know about their habits. I'm a trained military doctor, an expert in survival in hostile environments, and a student of several types of martial arts. I also have knowledge of several types of non-projectile weapons. I'm willing to stay on Pluvia, if for nothing else than to learn more about the Xenomorphs, sir." with this, he sat down.

"Impressive résumé; I think you'd be well-suited to the task. What do you think, Shisome?"

"_**Is he the one who bandaged me when I was injured?"**_ the Queen asked.

"Yes."

"_**Then I have no problem with him." **_

"Jim, it looks like you've got the job. Take another hovercraft and meet us at the entrance to the hive." Hoshi said, and Jim bowed. Captain Hiro terminated the transmission, and Hoshi put the holophone back in his pocket.

"_**It looks as though our hive's grown again."**_ Makoto said.

"_**Indeed it has."**_ Shisome said.


	44. Departure

**Disclaimer-Don't own Aliens, wish I did.**

**Now, I know that a lot of you are waiting on The Insanity Continues, and I will continue working on it soon, but right now, I'm kind of into this story and want to keep working on it. I've also got a couple of Kingdom Hearts fics brewing in the old cranium, along with a few Final Fantasy XII ones and an idea for a couple of fantasy novels that I'd like to explore. Once again, TIC will be back in production soon. Until then, enjoy Starting Over!**

Starting Over

Part 44

**Departure**

"So, to reiterate, you'll be staying on Pluvia until further notice, Jim. You'll be expected to train Adelicia to defend herself, and to report regularly to me. Are there any questions?"

Jim had arrived a few minutes earlier, toting a few bags that contained his belongings. He also said that there were a few more on the hovercraft that brought him. He was looking around at the inside of the hive, as though he couldn't wait to explore the many tunnels of the structure.

"Yes; what about my life back on Earth? I mean, aren't people going to realize that I'm gone? I'm not having second thoughts, sir; but I am a little concerned by the situation." the man said.

"Very well; it's a reasonable question. I will have someone take care of your personal matters back home. If I remember correctly, you have a girlfriend back on Earth, yes?" Hoshi asked, raising a grey eyebrow.

"No, sir; she and I…parted ways some time ago." Jim replied, scratching his head uncomfortably.

"Ah; so sorry to hear that… Well, I do suppose it makes your absence easier to cover up…"

"Sir, Captain Hiro just contacted me; he says that some of the CEOs of one of your larger companies are inquiring as to your whereabouts." Momo said, hurrying into the room. She'd been talking to Makoto about something or other, and apparently the call had come as somewhat of a shock.

"Damn them… Can't they understand the meaning of the word "vacation"?" the older man muttered.

"Sir, they've informed Captain Hiro that they're making plans to travel to your home in Tokyo. They say that they'll arrive in four days." Momo said, wringing her hands anxiously.

"Four days? It only takes an hour to get to Tokyo! What are they going to be doing for the next three days and twenty-three hours?" Hoshi asked.

"Well, sir, they're taking a luxury cruise to Japan. I suppose that they figure that as long as they're going to Japan on business, they might as well enjoy the trip." the Shadow said.

"And on company time, no doubt; and with company money. I'll have to have a word with them. Damn! I was hoping for more time to get things in order here! I swear; those men are like children! They can run up a multi-million dollar expense bill, but when it comes to actually working, they're clueless!"

"When do we depart, sir?" Momo asked.

"Unfortunately, we've got to leave today. Momo; call Captain Hiro back and tell him to send the freight hover with what I brought for Adelicia." Hoshi said, and Momo began walking a little way away so she could hear what the Captain would say.

"Wait, Momo!" Jim said, catching the female Shadow by the shoulder. "Did you ask Mr. Yamamoto about-"

"Shut up! I'll ask him before we leave!" Momo hissed.

"But I've already brought your–"

"Quiet, _baka_! I told you; I'll ask him!" she hissed again, and Jim was quiet.

"Momo? Have you contacted the ship yet?" Hoshi called.

"Oh, no, sir; I'll get right on it!" she said quickly, and hurried away to do as she was told.

"_I wonder what that was about…" _Adelicia thought, and looked at Makoto, who was being bombarded by questions from the other two Praetorians.

Momo continued her conversation with the hologram of the captain, while Makoto waved the two Xenos away and went over to talk with Hoshi.

"_**What did you bring for Adelicia?"**_ the Praetorian asked, glancing over at his mate, who was conversing with the two newest hive members. Once she'd gotten over her initial apprehension, she'd begun to get along quite well with the other two Praetorians.

"Oh, just some things that will make her life here easier; some new clothes and survival gear, things like that." Hoshi answered, pushing a strand of hair out of his face.

"It'll come in handy; she's got to learn how to survive out here." Jim said, looking again around at the resin-coated walls.

"_**Indeed; she's got the will, but she's just so…delicate."**_ Makoto agreed.

"Sir! Captain Hiro is sending the freight hover now. He says that it will arrive here in the next few minutes." Momo announced.

"_**Why does it take such a short time for that vehicle to arrive here, but such a long time for ours?"**_ Makoto asked, cocking his head.

"Because we don't have to worry about anyone getting hurt if the freight hover crashes or something. The vehicle is completely driven by machine and guided by GPS, so no one can get lost. Plus, the freight hover can carry far more weight than the one we use." Hoshi explained.

"_**More weight? How many things are you giving Adelicia?" **_Makoto asked. He had always been rather fascinated by the humans' need for material possessions. They coveted, fought and died over such things; a total waste of life.

"Oh…just a good-sized…crate…or two..." Hoshi muttered.

"_**Two?"**_ Shisome asked, and sounded like she was laughing.

"Well, there are so many things that she could need!" the old man defended.

"Don't worry; it's just because Yamamoto-san always wanted to spoil Kurai, but her parents would have none of it. He's making up for lost time." Momo said quietly.

"_**That's so sweet!" **_Shisome said.

"If they would have just let me take her for the summer every once in awhile… but _no_; they didn't want her exposed to "that kind of life". What kind of people did they think I keep company with? It's not like I ruined her mother, and I really came close, I'm sure!"

"_**So you didn't have much to do with Kurai when she was growing up?" **_Makoto asked.

"It's not that I didn't have anything to do with her; I was around quite a bit, but her parents wanted her to live as normal a life as possible. I've seen people absolutely ruined by a little bit of money, so I can see why her parents didn't want her to be showered with money and presents. I was allowed to enroll her in a few martial arts classes and such, and that lead to Kurai's interest in the _tessen_, which lead her to become practically a master of the art. I came to her competitions and tournaments, and I was able to convince her parents to let me take her to Japan to find a sensei to teach her when she was just starting out. All in all, I'm happy with how things turned out. I suppose that things could have been worse; I might not have been able to be a part of her life at all." Hoshi reminisced, leaning against a wall while the Praetorian crouched down and wrapped his long tail around his body.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir; but the hover is here." Momo said, coming back into the room. Hoshi sighed, leaned on his cane, and followed the Shadow to the cave entrance. Adelicia came along as well; the activity stirring her curiosity, along with the two Praetorians, who stuck close to each other. Makoto looked at them and remembered that he and the others of his rank had done the same thing when their hive was still around.

They walked outside, and saw the freight hover. The vehicle was nothing more than a large–albeit sleek-looking–grey metal box that floated about four feet above the ground. Momo walked over and pressed a couple of buttons on the side of the craft, and a ramp extended from the back of the machine. In a moment, a large crate descended from the vehicle, suspended on a smaller, hovering platform. The crate was almost as tall as Makoto, and wider for certain. The Xenomorph had the strange thought that this particular box was actually larger than the cage he had lived in back on Earth. The hovering platform extended a ramp and allowed the crate to slide down, then the second one came out in the same fashion.

"Adelicia; I have some things for you." Hoshi said, as the girl walked outside.

"Things? For me? B-but Mr. Yamamoto–" Adelicia began.

"Don't worry; It's not like I can't afford it, and these are things that you'll need, anyway. Momo; there's a clipboard attached to one of these crates, isn't there?"

Momo scurried over to the crate and examined it, then returned holding a clipboard with what looked like a sizeable amount of papers attached.

"Ah, good; thank you, Momo. Now, let's see; this is a list of all the things that are in these two crates. Hm; there are some clothes that are made for harsh conditions, some utensils and cookware, a special mini computer so that you can contact me without having to go all the way to the ship and, oh; I forgot about this…"

"Sir?" Adelicia asked.

"Oh, it's a device that I got from the military; you simply hold it up to organic matter and it tells you whether or not said matter is edible. It also can recognize whether or not animals are poisonous from about a hundred feet away. It uses some sort of new ray or something, so the animal won't know that it's being scanned. It can tell if water is drinkable, too. It has a nuclear battery of some kind, so it will live longer than both of us put together. I figured that you might need something like this here. Now remember; this device can only recognize toxins and such that are comparable to those that humans have discovered, so if it reads "unknown", don't chance it." Hoshi warned

"Yes, sir, but what about Jim? He doesn't have anything like that, does he?" Adelicia asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. When I was in the military, the company I worked for perfected the first line of these devices. They're called E-Scanners–the "e" is for "environmental"–and they're very useful. They've become far more advanced in recent years, though; they are linked up to a computer that feeds in new information about any recently discovered chemicals, toxins, minerals, microbes and the like." the Shadow explained, pulling out a small device from a pocket.

Bending down, he pointed the scanner at a small blue flower that was growing on a little shrub. He pushed a few buttons, and a beam of blue light shone from the end of the scanner. The beam moved slowly up and down the plant a couple of times, then switched off.

"SCAN COMPLETE. SPECIMEN IS NON-TOXIC." the computer said, in a computerized version of a female voice.

"See there? That means that you probably wouldn't die horribly if you accidentally ate this particular plant. It stores the information in a memory bank, which is pretty large, but the ones we have are made to accommodate far more information than normal. Yours was made especially for this trip, but mine had to be upgraded." Jim informed her.

"_**Wait, you said that the plant probably wouldn't kill her; what does that mean?"**_ Makoto asked, his tail swishing.

"Well, as Mr. Yamamoto said, the E-Scanner only has information on chemicals and such that humans have already discovered, but it will tell you if it senses an unknown element. You can pretty much trust it, though. If I remember correctly, there's a function on here that will have the computer make a comparison between the organic matter being scanned and organic matter from Earth or any official colony thereof. For instance, if you scanned a fruit and found it to be edible, you could get a comparison and the computer would tell you if it was more like a peach or an apple." with this, Jim pressed another couple of buttons and held the scanner so that Adelicia could see it. On the screen was a picture of the plant, complete with roots. Apparently, the scan didn't stop at ground level.

"SPECIMEN IS COMPARABLE TO: CARROT." the voice droned again.

"Will that function work on animals as well?" Hoshi asked, leaning over to get a better look.

"It should." Jim said.

"Well, that's good; you wouldn't want to go and provoke something dangerous." Momo said.

"There's nothing more dangerous on this planet than the Xenomorphs." Jim said.

"Don't be so sure; a great deal of this planet is unexplored, you know, and only a few of the native fauna have been catalogued. I'd suggest that you don't take a chance on any of the local animals." Hoshi cautioned.

"Dually noted." Adelicia agreed.

"Well now; I suppose…it's time to go back to Earth… Despite all that's happened recently, I've actually had a decent time here. I'll miss all of you; believe it or not." Hoshi said, then composed himself.

"Momo; tell Captain Hiro to prepare for both the hovercraft and the freight hover to enter the ship. Ichi; we'll be going faster than usual, but don't take any unnecessary chances. Momo; tell the Captain that we'll be going home at top speed to make it back home before those CEOs get there. Come on, people; either hurry it up or start thinking of things for me to tell the CEOs to explain our absence." With this, the other two Shadows began to scurry frantically around to carry out the orders.

"Makoto, do you think that you can get those crates inside? I truly hate to leave you with the task, but this is a matter of importance." Hoshi said, embarrassed.

"_**Perhaps not alone; but with two of us we'll be able to get them in easily."**_ Makoto said, looking at the crates.

"It'll be fascinating to see that." Jim said.

"Very good then; I hate to leave you all like this, but believe me, no one on Earth needs to know about this planet." the older man said, hurrying to the hovercraft. Ichi opened the door for his employer before getting in himself, followed by Momo, who stopped suddenly.

"Sir?" she said, a little hesitantly, and Hoshi rolled down the window.

"Yes, Momo?" Hoshi asked, sounding slightly irritated by all the hold-ups.

"Do you…do you think that I could…stay here as well?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"Momo? What makes you ask this?" her employer asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, sir; I think that I can do some good here, and you have more than enough Shadows back on Earth to serve your purposes. I'd like to try to live here." she said, still nervous.

"But you didn't volunteer when I asked if anyone wanted to stay; and besides, you don't have any clothes or–"

"I didn't volunteer because I wasn't sure that I wanted to stay, but now I am! And I do have my clothes; Jim brought them with him in the hovercraft upon my request. Please, sir; you can spare me, can't you? And Adelicia's my friend…" she stopped, waiting for her employer's answer.

"Very well; but be careful, Momo." Hoshi said, smiling.

"Do you wish to stay too, Ichi?" he asked, turning to the hovercraft's driver.

"No, sir; there're too many lovely ladies back on Earth that would die of broken hearts if I didn't come home. Sorry, Peach." He said this last part to Momo.

"It's fine, lecher." the Shadow muttered.

"Be careful here, Momo; I don't want to have your misfortunes on my conscience." Hoshi said gently.

"Yes, sir." Momo said, smiling at the older man.

"Ready to go, sir?" Ichi asked, looking at his employer's reflection in the mirror.

"Yes; will the other two hovercrafts make it all right?" he asked.

"Yes; I've linked them to this one's computer; they'll follow us the whole way back." Ichi answered.

"Good, make sure that you've got everything out of the back; I can't come back if you forget something."

"Yes, sir!" Momo said, giving him a final bow. Jim heard this and hurried to retrieve the woman's belongings.

"Goodbye, Momo, Jim, Adelicia, everyone; and good luck." Hoshi said, then rolled up the window.

"Byes, Peach!" Ichi called out the window, before giving her a jaunty little salute and rolling up his own window. Momo rolled her eyes and waved to him.

They all stood there–the three humans and three Xenomorphs–and watched as Hoshi Yamamoto's hovercraft floated away, followed by the others.

"Well, come along then; I'll show you to your rooms… Oh, do you need help with your bags?" Adelicia said, holding back tears.

"No; we're fine, but thanks all the same." Jim and Momo said.

"All right; I'll show you to your rooms and then I'll come out here and help Makoto and the others."

"_**We'll get these… you show them around; Shisome will be eager to talk with them, I'm sure."**_ Makoto said, stepping over to one of the crates and looking to see the best way of moving it.

the female Praetorian asked Adelicia, who turned around to see the two large boxes._** "Where do you want them?"**_

"Uhm, in my room will be fine, thanks; but don't you want some help?" the human asked.

"_**We'll be fine; don't worry." **_Makoto reassured. Adelicia looked at him for a moment, as if unsure, before turning and walking into the hive with the two other humans behind her, each carrying their bags.

"Come on, let's get these inside; it looks like rain." Makoto said, lifting one corner of a crate. The others each grabbed a corner, and they lifted the crate and began to move it; each thinking of the events that had transpired that day.


	45. Moving In

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**I've said it before and I'll say it again; I'm sorry for taking so long. I had a nasty virus (or something, I didn't quite understand it all) in my computer and it took me some time to finally get rid of it. But I'm back online now and I even was able to get the latest Flash player installed (long story, trust me). I'm actually watching one of my favorite anime while I'm typing this! So just sit back and enjoy the next chapter of Starting Over!**

Part 45

Moving In

"And I suppose that this will be your room, Momo." Adelicia said, showing the Shadow to his living quarters.

"I didn't mean to say it so rudely; it's just that I'm not entirely sure how to board someone in a cave. I wish I could have cleaned up or something, but I'd no idea that two more people would be living here. I must admit; it will be nice having two more humans to talk to…not that having the Xenos hasn't been a joy, I mean!" This last part was said mostly to Shisome.

"_**It's all right; I understand what it's like to long for your own kind."**_ the Queen said gently.

"_**Now, there are a few things to know; just a few rules to follow if everyone's going to get along here. The first is; don't upset the Queen if it isn't absolutely necessary. The second; don't go out alone. You never know what's out there on this planet; not even we do, yet. Another thing; we'll treat you with the same amount of respect that you give us. We're not monsters here; we're just trying to live our lives without interference, all right?"**_ Lee said. She had accompanied Adelicia on her rounds to give the two new humans living quarters. Momo had chosen a small room with a small waterfall similar to Adelicia's. Jim, however, had chosen a large room with a bathing pool that was fed through some sort of underground spring. It amazed Adelicia that there were so many of those little pools in the cave, but she wasn't complaining; they were very useful.

"So we're going to be living here…interesting. I've always wondered about what it would be like to be inside a fully functioning Xenomorph hive! Ooh, I wonder if I can see the Drones tending to the eggs. That would be fascinating!" Jim said excitedly.

"And I suppose that you want to be here when the hatchlings emerge from their hosts, too?" Momo asked, grimacing.

"As long as I'm not one of them…" Jim muttered, and Momo and Adelicia shivered.

"_**Here now; I can promise that none of my children will harm you…as long as you can promise the same."**_ Shisome said.

"Believe me; Shadows are good, but against a hive of Xenos…I don't like our chances. Now, a Midnight or Twilight…that's another story; those guys are good…and they take their jobs so seriously it's scary." Momo said.

They were interrupted by the sight of Makoto and the two new Praetorians making their way through the hallway with one of the crates that Hoshi had brought for Adelicia.

"_**Do you want me to put this in your room, Adelicia?"**_ Makoto asked, looking at his mate.

"Yes, thank you, Makoto." Adelicia smiled.

"So…he's your…?" Jim said, once Makoto had entered Adelicia's room and was out of earshot.

"Well…I'd have to say…boyfriend, maybe? Yes…I guess that's what you'd call it." Adelicia said hesitantly. She was a little nervous, and she'd wondered what other humans would think about Makoto's and her relationship. It wasn't exactly something one saw every day, after all.

"Oh? Fascinating!" Jim said. Adelicia could sense that he'd say that word quite a few more times before he left the planet.

"All right; you, Jim, go off and get your room ready. Lee and Adelicia and I are going to have some girl time." Momo said, putting her arm around Adelicia.

Jim didn't argue, and went off, muttering about wanting to find someone to talk to.

"So, Adelicia; what is it like living here?" the Shadow asked, bringing the other human over to a rock to sit down, while Lee followed.

"Well, I must admit, it can be hard at times. It's not like camping on Earth; you can't just go home if it rains or you want more toilet paper or something. I'm a long way from home, that's for sure. But, I can't say that I don't like it. There's no pollution, no traffic, no poverty or street crime… I'm actually quite happy here. I've got good friends, enough to eat, and-"

"_**And the best mate in the galaxy."**_ Makoto finished, coming up behind her and gently grabbing her around the waist and pulling her close.

"That, too!" Adelicia agreed, making Makoto purr.

"I just can't get over how sweet he can be with you! I've never seen Xenomorphs act that way before…" Momo said thoughtfully.

"_**That's because when our two species meet, you're usually killing us.**_" Makoto said darkly.

"_**We got the crates inside… Let us know if you need any help opening them."**_ the female Praetorian said, probably to break the developing tension.

"Thank you… Wait; what is your name?" Momo asked the female.

"_**My name? I don't think the either I nor the other have names yet…"**_ she said.

"_**Oh, dear! I didn't give them names!"**_ Shisome said, alarmed.

"_**Honestly; what's wrong with me? I birth them, but I forget to name them!"**_ Shisome muttered to herself.

"_**It's fine, my Queen! We understand that you have many other things to worry about for the moment. When you get around to it, we will be more than happy to accept any name you give us."**_ the female humbly.

"_**Still… I don't think that it's right for me to forget something as important as naming my children… I'm just not good at coming up with names…"**_ Shisome sighed.

"Could I be of any help?" Adelicia asked; she'd named a few of the Xenomorphs, and she found she quite liked it.

"Oh! Me too! It'll be fun!" Momo said excitedly.

"_**Fun?"**_ the female Praetorian said, sounding confused.

"_**Very well; just name them something dignified, please."**_ the Queen said.

"Of course!" Momo exclaimed, and then practically dragged Adelicia off to her room to think of names. The female Praetorian, along with Lee, who had been quite for some time, followed, hoping to help the humans pick out suitable names.

"_**What have I done?"**_ Shisome mumbled laughingly to herself, her tail swishing.

_Later…_

It was evening now, and Adelicia, Momo and Lee had finally decided on names for the two Royal Guard. The female would be known as Kigaru* and the male would be called Seiren*. Everyone seemed pleased with the new names; especially the Praetorians themselves, who found them to be quite dignified. The naming had taken a couple of hours, and now the small group was sitting in the middle of Adelicia's room. They had had a lot of laughs coming up with the names, and occasionally had some input form the other members of the hive who passed by while doing their duties.

"_**From now on, I'm going to spend my free time thinking of names; I don't want this to happen anymore…."**_ Shisome mumbled.

"It's okay, Shisome. In fact, I find this fun. I can try these names out now to see how like them, you know, in case I ever have kids." Momo admitted, and Adelicia laughed quietly.

"_**Good to know."**_ Kigaru said.

"_**Indeed."**_ Seiren agreed, giving a Xeno smile. He'd come in a while earlier, along with Makoto, to assist in the naming. He figured that he'd might as well be present at his own naming.

"I need to learn Japanese." Adelicia said, after a moment.

"Probably wouldn't hurt. Don't worry, though; I'll teach you. It's really not all that hard a language to learn." Momo said cheerfully.

"You'll have plenty of time, too; there are really no big distractions here." Jim said, coming in suddenly.

"Where've you been?" Momo asked her companion.

"I've been talking to some of the Drones. They've been telling me a lot about the inner workings of the hive that I'd never find out otherwise. It's amazing the things that humans don't know about the Xenomorphs."

"Well, I don't know how I'm going to pass the time here, but it looks like Jim is going to be fine." Momo said, as the other Shadow hurried off after a passing Drone, who turned out to be Swift.

"Everyone's got to have some sort of hobby." Adelicia said optimistically.

"Speaking of, what is there to do around here? I mean, how do you spend your days?" Momo asked.

"Well, generally, Makoto and I are together a lot of the time. He brings me food, and I suppose…we just talk a lot."

"Speaking of being together a lot; I don't know what I'm going to do with no members of the male sex around here. What am I going to do about that?"

"No members of the female sex, either." Jim muttered.

"_**No females? What are we?"**_ Lee said quietly to Kigaru, and both gave the human dirty looks.

"_**And no males, either? I'm offended at that."**_ Seiren pouted.

"You know what we mean." Jim and Momo said together.

"Come on; there's plenty of eligible males here. Makoto and I are quite happy together." Adelicia said, walking over to Makoto and leaning on him.

"You may have a point there; I'm always up for something…different…" the female Shadow said, looking at Seiren and winking. The Praetorian cocked his head and purred.

"_**I don't need to hear this." **_Shisome said.

"You've got a point, Momo… Xenomorphs are…anatomically similar to humans in…some respects." Jim said, almost to himself.

"How the _hell_ do you know that?" Momo asked, glaring at the other Shadow

"It was a lot of the reports I've read; it's not firsthand information, Momo!" Jim snapped back.

"If you say so." Momo said.

"_**What exactly did you do before you came here?"**_ Makoto asked the Shadow.

"Well, before I came to the Shadows, I was a researcher at a small laboratory studying the Xenomorph species. Eventually, the lab got shut down due to lack of funding and I was on my own for about four years. You see, the lab I worked at didn't go out and kill entire hives for specimens, like some others tend to do. We were basically a sort of storage facility for most of the reports that the bigger labs did on the subject. I've actually never seen a live Xenomorph specimen in its natural habitat, until I met you, that is." This last part was directed at Makoto and the others.

"We didn't do the same kind of research as Stone Pharmaceuticals, if that's what your thinking. They're far more associated with the USCM than we were." He said quickly, seeing the looks he was getting.

"_**That's good to know."**_ Makoto said quietly.

"_**It's getting late; someone should go out and get food. Our hive just keeps on growing as of late! I wonder if we'll get any more members tomorrow…"**_ Shisome stated, effectively breaking up the tension.

"_**Let's go; I know where there is a large herd of creatures that will be quite tasty. I saw them the last time I went out. I'll need help; those things are big and can be quite aggressive."**_ Makoto said, motioning the Lee, Kigaru and Seiren. The three of them rose and followed the older male.

"Can I come along? I'd love to watch you hunt." Jim asked, and Makoto nodded and motioned for him to follow. Out of politeness, the two girls followed the others to the door of the room.

"I always worry when he goes off like that. He could get hurt…or worse…" Adelicia said quietly. Momo moved over to comfort her.

"Hey, don't talk like that; Makoto knows what he's doing! Now that the guys are gone, we can have some girl talk." Momo said to Adelicia.

"Well, all right. I suppose it'll take my mind off worrying about Makoto for awhile…" the other girl said, smiling weakly. The two of them sat back down.

"So have you two done it yet?" Momo asked, winking.

***A/N–Kigaru means cheerful, and Seiren means honesty.**


	46. A Romance and a Revelation

**Disclaimer–Don't own any of the Alien or Predator franchise, just my OC's.**

**Sorry it's taken awhile, end of term is coming up and I've been studying mah arse off for it.**

Starting Over

Part 46

**A Romance and a Revelation**

The next day, Adelicia woke up, bathed, and gathered up that week's clothing to take down to the river to wash. She had to admit that even she was impressed with how quickly she'd picked up how to do things like that. She'd learned how to wash her own clothes, prepare meals from scratch, and start fires without a lighter.

"_I suppose I'm turning into one of those survivalist people…"_ she thought to herself, as she stepped over Makoto and grabbed a bar of laundry soap from the box on a shelf in her room.

"Hey, Adelicia!"

The voice got her attention, and she turned to see Momo coming toward her. She was wearing a pair of cutoff shorts and a green sleeveless half-shirt, along with a pair of brown hiking boots. Her hair was put back in a ponytail, and she was carrying a long stick in one hand. A closer look revealed that there were several fish on the end of the stick, probably ready for cooking over the fire.

"Momo! You're up early!" the girl said, walking over to the Shadow.

"Yeah; back on Earth, we Shadows get up early and train on an obstacle course until breakfast." Momo informed her.

"Wow! I got up early on Earth, too; but not that early! Where's your uniform?" she asked, looking the other woman over.

"Oh, we don't wear them when we're not acting as Shadows. The good thing is; you never have to think about what to wear. The bad thing is that I've been confused with almost every other woman…and a couple of men…in the organization… I keep telling Yamamoto-san that we need nametags on our uniforms when we're not in public, but he keeps forgetting…"

"_**There you are!"**_

The two turned to see Makoto coming toward them. He had apparently woken up, realized that Adelicia wasn't there, and come looking for her.

"Makoto; you could have slept in…" she said, as the Praetorian nuzzled her neck, purring.

"_**I woke up and missed you…"**_ he answered quietly, making her blush.

"Ah-hem…" Momo coughed, looking away from the two.

"_**Do you want some attention, too?"**_ Makoto asked, with a sensual rumble.

"Oh, ick!" the Shadow said, laughing. Makoto shrugged and turned back to Adelicia.

"_**What are you doing out here, anyway?"**_ the Xeno asked, curious about human affairs.

"I'm washing my clothes; we humans have to do that from time to time, you know." Adelicia explained.

"_**Why bother? You'd look much better without clothes, in my opinion…"**_

"Men!" Momo said laughingly, then took her fish and left.

"_**Apparently she's had bad luck with the opposite sex…"**_ Makoto thought out loud.

"Perhaps, but maybe she'll find someone nice here…" Adelicia agreed, then went back to her washing.

After a while, the laundry was done and Adelicia had hung it over a low-hanging branch to dry. Makoto followed her back to the hive, where they found Momo cooking her fish. The Praetorian hissed at the scent of the cooking fish, and excused himself to find his own meal.

"You want some fish?" Momo asked, offering the other woman a piece.

"Oh, thank you; I'd completely forgotten about breakfast…" she said, accepting the food.

"So, what's with Makoto? Doesn't he like fish?" the Shadow asked, after a few minutes.

"Well, not cooked fish. His species detests cooked meat. They can't even stand the smell of it."

"Really? That's weird… But then…nothing about Xenomorphs is really "normal", is it? Just think of it; we're having breakfast with some of–if not the–most dangerous creatures in history! I'm sure that no human being has ever gotten close to them like this. I can sort of see why Jim finds them so fascinating."

"Speaking of, where is Jim?" Adelicia asked, picking little bones out of the fish.

"I think he's talking to Shisome. He's been asking questions of every single Xenomorph he's met since he's come here. I told him not to make a nuisance of himself, though."

"Ah, all right then."

_Meanwhile…_

"So, you mean that you can control how many eggs you lay at a time?"

"_**Of course."**_ Shisome answered. The young human male had come to her chamber early in the morning and had been asking her questions ever since. He had a small notebook, which was already almost halfway full of notes on the Xenomorphs.

"Incredible! Just incredible! And you say that your egg sac falls off every few weeks or so?"

"_**Yes; so I can get a little exercise." **_

"Amazing! I've heard of Queens tearing themselves away from their egg sacs before; but only when they are threatened."

"_**That sounds painful…"**_ Shisome said, wincing.

"Probably." Jim said, then began writing in his notebook.

"_**Excuse me; when are you going to be through with Mother? We need to clean the resin off her."**_ Lee said, popping her head into the room. She was accompanied by Rain, Sky and River, who were standing quietly behind her.

"_**Ah, Lee; why don't you take our guest and answer some of his questions? I'm sure he'd like to find out about what you do. I mean, I just stand here all day; you get to get out and do things."**_ Shisome hinted.

"_**Yes, Mother."**_ Lee said, then led Jim from the room, leaving the other three to climb onto their Queen and begin brushing the resin from her body. She somehow managed to collect a great deal of it in a short amount of time, and it was getting quite itchy.

*******

"So, what's it like being a Drone?"

"_**Well, I'm quite happy, actually. The work isn't always easy, but serving Mother more than makes up for it."**_ Lee admitted. The two were walking down one of the tunnels that had been recently coated with resin, and Lee had just explained how that particular process worked.

"So is there any animosity between ranks here? I mean, do the Praetorians look down on the Drones and so forth?" the human asked.

"_**They haven't so far; but I haven't gotten to know the two new ones yet, and Makoto's usually too preoccupied to speak to me much. Mother treats me very well, though; and the other Drones are all quite nice."**_ the little Drone admitted.

"Interesting…" Jim said, writing in his notebook again.

"_**Tell me; why do you find us so fascinating, human? What is it about us that you can't seem to get enough of?"**_ Lee asked, a slight purr in her voice.

"I suppose it's because, years ago, when I first started out, I suppose I thought you were mindless beasts, just like everyone else." the human admitted, and saw the "look" Lee was giving him.

"But as I studied you, I found that you were actually quite like humans in some areas. I then began to find you very interesting. I devoted my time to finding out more about you. Unfortunately, as an employee of the military, most of my specimens are either…well…dead or captive. I always wanted to observe Xenomorphs in their own hive. Well, this was a pretty big impossibility until now; most Xenomorphs would have torn me to pieces before I got within a mile of their home, so I was out in the cold on that one." Jim said, and the little Drone cocked her head.

"_**But you've still not answered my question; what about us do you find so interesting?"**_ Lee asked.

"I guess it's the fact that you have emotions just like humans do. You have family bonds, you feel sadness when one of you dies, and you help each other when you're hurt. I find that fascinating. The way you work together to accomplish goals, the way you serve your Queen without question, and protect her… You're fascinating creatures!"

"_**And…do you find anything interesting about…me?"**_ the Drone asked. The human had only arrived the day before, but Lee had found herself to be quite taken with the young male. Truth be told, he wasn't quite as handsome as a male of her species, but he was sweet, and that mattered more to her than looks–though he might have looked better with a tail.

"Indeed I do; I've never seen a Drone like you before. You look to be…almost aquatic in nature. I'd love to study you one-on-one." Jim said, looking at the female.

"_**Oh, my…"**_ Lee said, and would have blushed, if she'd been able.

Jim was about to speak again, when a noise got his attention. Looking down, he saw that it was his holophone. Activating it, he saw that it was his employer trying to contact him.

"Yamamoto-san! And it looks like an emergency!" he said, taking the call at once.

_On Earth, earlier that day…_

"_And that, sir, is why we came to Nippon." the man said, explaining his and his colleagues' behavior._

_After his departure from Pluvia, Hoshi Yamamoto had ordered Captain Hiro to make for home at top speed, which meant that they got there in a little less than a day. He had just enough time to say hello to his wife before going into his office and meeting with the three CEOs who had taken him away from Pluvia prematurely._

"_And you decided to forgo your weeklong cruise in favor of a one hour plane trip; thank you. Now, what is it that you need help with? You're CEOs, are you not? Can't you handle your own problems without seeking me out? I hope you realize that I was having some off time for some personal matters? Matters that were very important to me, my family, and some close friends? What could you possibly need help with that you needed to disturb me in my sparse off-time?" the older man said, his voice deathly calm._

"_Well, sir…we've been discussing it amongst ourselves, and we think that, because our companies –excuse me, your companies–are dong so well…that we should receive a small…raise?" one of them said._

"_A raise? You think you deserve a raise? How dare you interrupt my personal time for such a thing? Firstly, you're paid far above what would be expected of someone of your station! Secondly, you couldn't have had this conversation with me via holophone? Get out of my office and go back to your jobs, all of you! When you put in some years of good, honest service, you will receive an according wage! And don't say anything about that "honest" part; I've heard plenty of stories about you taking home more than a centerpiece from the geisha parties!" Hoshi's voice had risen now. _

_A ringing got their attention, and Hoshi looked over to see that it was his handheld computer. Picking up the device, he checked to see who was calling; usually his family members didn't call him during his office hours, but emergencies were the exception. His eyes opened wide when he saw who it was._

"_Kurai" the screen said._

"_By the Buddha…" he whispered._

"_Sir, about the raise…?" one of the CEOs said quietly._

"_How many times must I say it? No! Now get out of my office!" he said, glaring at the men._

"_Yes, sir…" the leader said meekly, and bowed himself out of the door._

_Once he was sure that they were gone, Hoshi opened the message from his granddaughter._

"_By the Buddha…" he repeated, when he read the message's contents._

"We've got to sort this mess out…before it goes too far…"_ the old man thought to himself, as he began to compose a reply._

_Back on Pluvia, the present…_

"Sir, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I'm glad you picked up. You should know that I will be contacting Momo as well." the holographic image said.

"Yes, of course, but what's wrong, Yamamoto-san?" Jim asked, almost frantic.

"All right, all right… Brace yourself, Jim… I got a call from Kurai yesterday. It came during a business meeting, so I couldn't get to it right away, but it seems that Kurai has a ship now, and is able to travel as she pleases outside the Yautja clan." Hoshi said.

"Yautja, sir?" Jim asked, confused.

"The creatures Kurai left Earth with. She joined one of their clans and got a ship and… Never mind! I'll explain everything later on! We've got problems! Stone sent her a message that she knows about the Xenos, and Kurai wanted to know what to do, so I told her to come to Pluvia, and we'll all rendezvous there and figure out our next step. I want you to prepare for that and begin training Adelicia immediately. Something tells me that Ms. Stone will be making a second trip there soon. I'll be coming there immediately, along with a few Midnights and Twilights–"

"And me." a female voice said, drawing both their attentions.

"Ishi?" Hoshi obviously surprised by his wife's appearance.

"Lady Yamamoto!" Jim said, bowing quickly.

"Yamamoto-san's mate." he said, noticing Lee looking at him strangely.

"If you're going to see Kurai, I'm going along with you, Hoshi!" she said, coming into view.

She was an older woman, with a dignified face and slender figure. Her hair was still black, with a few grey streaks here and there. Her face had it's share of wrinkles, but even so, one could see that she had once been a very beautiful woman. She was dressed in a long green kimono with a pattern willow leaves on it, and her hair was in a bun.

"But, my dear… It'll be dangerous!" he tried to persuade his wife.

"Hoshi, I'm going, damn it! I haven't seen my granddaughter since last year! I'm certainly not going to miss the opportunity now! The only question is; are you going to accept it and submit quietly, or do I have to pummel you until you do?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"The same words you said to me on our wedding night… Very well, love; pack your things and we'll be off. I just need to get some Midnights and Twilights together." he conceded.

"Good; I'm glad I could convince you, dear." Ishi said, then went out of the room.

Hoshi cleared his throat and continued, Jim knew to be silent.

"As I said, I'll get some Midnights and Twilights and contact Momo to tell her I'm coming. I want the two of you to begin training Adelicia immediately. The last thing we need it for her to get herself hurt." he said.

"Very well, sir." Jim replied. Hoshi nodded and terminated the transmission.

_Meanwhile, back with Momo and Adelicia…_

"What's that?" Adelicia asked, looking at the source of the ringing sound.

"Oh, it's my holophone!" Momo said, sounding surprised.

Answering the phone, her eyes went wide when she saw that it was her employer.

"Yamamoto-san!" she said, bowing.

"Mr. Yamamoto!" Adelicia said, brushing some dirt from her shirt.

"Hello, to both of you. Momo, I got a message today…from Kurai." the older man said.

"Sir?"

"She said that Stone sent her a message about the Xenomorphs… I suppose you know that that can't be good?"

"Yes, sir; what do we do now?" the Shadow asked.

"You and Jim will begin to train Adelicia in martial arts immediately. You will also prepare for a possible attack by Stone. Kurai is coming to Pluvia, as am I, so we can figure this out and come to a…resolution." he said.

"Sir, when is Ms. Kurai going to be here?" Momo asked.

"I've no idea, but I know that she'll be there with Taki and a Yautja named Ko."

"Yautja, sir?" Momo asked, confused.

"The creature Kurai left with! I'll tell you like I told Jim; I'll explain later. Now, I'm sorry, but I have to go… Oh, Adelicia; I want you to train hard with Momo and Jim. Learn everything that they are willing to teach you. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mr. Yamamoto!" Adelicia said, nodding. He'd helped her so much; she'd be more than willing do as he said.

"Good; I know you'll be a good student. Now, I must go. I have a feeling that we're running short on time. Stone could make her move at any moment, and it appears as though she too has resources, judging by her ship and henchmen…" with this, Hoshi terminated the connection.

"Well, you heard him, Adelicia; we need to teach you to fight! Now, Yamamoto-san said that he already spoke to Jim–" she was cut off by the sound of footsteps. It was Jim, with Lee hot on his heels.

"Momo! Momo! I just got a message from–" Jim began.

"Yamamoto-san; I know! He told me to train Adelicia!" the Shadow said, running to meet the other.

"He told me the same thing; and to prepare for a possible attack." Jim said, looking at the other girl, who looked back at him in confusion.

"So it's settled; we've got to teach you. I'll admit; I've never taught anyone martial arts before, but I'll try…" Momo said, but sounded unsure.

"And I've never even attempted martial arts before…but I'll do my best to learn!" Adelicia said cheerfully.

"_**You've got the whole hive backing you up, you know." **_Shisome's voice startled them all. She'd been listening to Jim and Lee's conversation; sensing the young Drone's blooming interest in the human. Her interest really piqued when Hoshi had called. She'd followed the situation up until now, when she finally spoke.

"Thank you, Shisome." Adelicia said, earnestly.

"_**What's going on here? Did I miss something?"**_ Makoto asked, coming from the nearby forest. He had just returned from a very successful hunt, his belly full of fresh meat, when he heard none other than his mate and his Queen talking.

Momo, Jim and Adelicia took a couple of minutes to explain the situation.

"_**So… Kurai and Hoshi are both coming here, and we don't know what or when Stone's next move might be?"**_ the Praetorian said, making sure he got the facts straight.

"That's right." Momo said.

"_**And we need Adelicia to learn your fighting techniques so that she might fare better in case of an attack?"**_

"That's about it." Adelicia said, looking at her mate.

"_**Well, that's about normal for our little group."**_ he said, and then laid down in a patch of grass.

"Really?" Momo asked.

"Ahem! I'm afraid that we've no time for this kind of thing; we've got to get ready for Ms. Kurai's arrival. Doubtless, she'll want a briefing on the situation. No offense, Adelicia; but we need you to get strong so you can defend yourself. It's for everyone's benefit that you train hard." Jim said, and Momo nodded in agreement.

"I will; it's just that… I've never been a violent person; fighting just isn't something I've thought about much. I really don't like violence…" Adelicia said quietly.

"None of us does…except maybe Kurai…" Jim said thoughtfully.

"_**Unfortunately, we've no choice here, Adelicia. It's us or them, and we've got to take every chance to grow stronger if we want to win. They're not hesitating about their training, I'm sure; so we can't afford to, either. Once this is over, you'll never have to fight again, I'm certain."**_ Makoto comforted, coming over to the girl.

"I suppose…under the circumstances…I have no choice. Teach me what you will. I'll do my best to learn." she sighed.

"Good; we'll begin tomorrow. We need time to discuss how to go about it. Take today to get ready." Jim said, and he and Momo went off together.

Jim stopped when he reached the place where Lee was standing.

"I'm sorry, Lee; we'll have to talk later." he said, rubbing the little Drone's head affectionately, making her purr.

"_**It's fine; we'll have plenty of time when this is all over."**_ she said, leaning into the human's touch.

When the two of them were out of sight, Adelicia left Makoto's side and went over to Lee, who was still looking after the human.

"So… Do you like him?" she asked, gently nudging her friend.

"_**I… I suppose I do… He's quite handsome, for a human…"**_ Lee admitted shyly.

"_**You're lucky, Lee; he seems like a fine catch."**_ Shisome teased gently.

"Indeed he does; he seems sweet." Adelicia said, making Makoto let out a pitiful sort of whine. She went over to comfort her mate, and Lee excused herself; not wanting to be in the way.

"_You will be mine, human…"_ Lee thought to herself, purring as she went off to help coat another tunnel with resin.


	47. Training

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**Sorry to say it, guys; but I'm going on holiday soon and I won't be able to update until I get back. I'll either do one long chapter or a couple of smaller ones to tide you guys over. I know I haven't been updating much lately, but a new semester's starting and I'll hopefully have more time then.**

Chapter 47

**Training**

"_Adelicia… Adelicia… Wake up; it's time to train."_

Momo's voice came into Adelicia's head, interrupting her pleasant sleep.

"Adelicia, come on; the day's already started!" the Shadow said, and the other girl opened her eyes and looked sleepily.

Momo was standing in the doorway, wearing a pink shirt and black sport pants with combat boots. Her hair was done in a long braid and pinned up to keep it out of her face.

"_**Whatsit? Who's there? What's going on?"**_ Makoto said, raising his head and looking around at the commotion. He'd been sleeping at the end of Adelicia's bed, as he usually did, and was apparently none too pleased about being awakened so early.

"It's me, Makoto; I've come to get your lazy mate out of bed to go train." Momo said.

"_**Then take her, and let me go back to sleep…"**_ the Praetorian said, putting his head back down.

"Some mate you are!" Adelicia huffed, poking him with her foot, which made him hiss ever so slightly.

"_**I'll be a better mate when I'm awake and coherent." **_

"Oh, no you don't; if I'm going to get up and be miserable, you are too!" she said, giving the Xenomorph another–less gentle–poke.

"_**Fine… I'll get up…but I won't be happy about it"**_ he said, rising and shaking the sleep from his body. Adelicia followed, quickly making her bed.

"Do I have time to take a quick bath?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Fine; but you'll just have to take another one later." Momo said, leaning against the door frame.

"_**And only of I can join you…"**_ Makoto added, with a sensual purr.

"Out." Adelicia said flatly, pointing toward the door.

"_**Worth a try."**_ the Xeno said, leaving the room, tail swishing.

"Are all of them like that?" Momo asked, watching Makoto leave.

"A few of them are, but not all. If I had to compare them to anything, it'd be humans; they each have different personalities, and you have to get used to them."

"I guess I'll have to; I'll be here for quite some time. Oh, it's not like I'm not excited about the possibility of living with Xenomorphs, but I'll miss Earth, too. Don't you?"

"Honestly, I've nothing on Earth left too miss. My family is gone, and I've no home or property to speak of. Besides; I'm really happy here." she said.

"I can see that; you've got great friends here, and none of the crap that makes Earth so bad. No crowded cities, no crime, no pollution… It's practically paradise! You know, people pay HUGE amounts of money to come to places like this; sans the Xenomorphs, of course… Wells, I'll let you get to your bath. I'll be outside the hive when you're done."

"Oh, I meant to ask; will Jim be joining us today?" Adelicia asked, picking out an outfit.

"No; he's with Lee. I think there's romance blooming with those two, I swear! Okay, I'll be outside."

With this, she left the room, and Adelicia removed her nightgown to go bathe.

_Twenty minutes later…_

"Okay, now we can start." Momo said, as Adelicia appeared at the cave's entrance, accompanied as always by Makoto. She had her hair tied back and was wearing a khaki t-shirt and matching pants, with combat boots.

"First off, have you ever had any kind of self-defense training before?" she asked, as Adelicia squinted her eyes at the sunlight.

"No; it was offered in school, but my mother wouldn't allow me to take it. She said it wasn't proper for a young lady."

"Well, it doesn't matter if it's proper; it's essential now. You've got to learn at least some basic self-defense or you're not going to stand a chance in the upcoming battles; and rest assured, there will be battles. I can't teach you everything I know in the short time we have, but I think that we can make some headway. If you listen to me and work hard, we'll hopefully be able to come through this experience with minimal losses."

"All right." Adelicia said.

"Very good; then let's begin with some basic stances, and we'll move on to blocking…" Momo said, and the two began.

_Three hours later…_

"Come on; one more, Adelicia!" Momo said, as the other woman fell to her knees, panting.

"I… I can't… I'm so tired, Momo! I've never been so active for so long!" she gasped.

"_**Then you're in for quite a pleasant surprise with me…"**_ Makoto muttered to himself. He'd been watching the whole training session from atop a nearby rock.

"What was that?" Adelicia asked, looking over at him.

"_**Nothing, love."**_ he said quickly, pretending to look at a passing bird.

"That's what I thought you said."

"Adelicia; one more and you can rest, I swear." the Shadow said, getting into her stance again.

"Oh, very well…" Adelicia grumbled, getting into the defensive stance that Momo had taught her.

Momo ran towards the other woman, intent on knocking her off her feet. Adelicia got into a crouching position and, when the moment was right, attempted to flip her harmlessly over her shoulder.

"Ooh!" Momo said, as she was lifted into the air and landed on her rear on the ground behind Adelicia, who turned around in amazement that her flip had actually worked.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she cried, turning and helping the Shadow to her feet.

"No! Don't be sorry! You did pretty well! Now, let's see if you can do that a few more times later on."

"All right; but can I take a break? I'm sore and sweaty and I have to use the bushes, excuse me…" with this, she hurried off into the nearby trees.

"_**Do you think she'll be ready if and when the time comes?"**_ Makoto asked, coming up behind the Shadow and startling her.

"It'll take a lot of hard work, but I think she's got a chance. She's no quitter; she's just soft from living in the city so long."

"_**If she's not ready to fight, we'll have figure out another strategy. I hate to say it, but we can't afford to have someone protecting her when they could be defending the hive." **_Shisome said, making them both jump.

"I'm sorry to say it, but even with training, I don't think that Adelicia should be on the battlefield at all, if possible. She's not the kind of person who's used to combat." Momo sighed, sitting on a nearby rock.

"_**I agree; but if she's going to be here, she might as well be able to defend herself. I understand that she'll never be as proficient in combat as you or Kurai; but I believe that she could do well, if she applies herself. She's delicate, and I love that about her; but she's also determined, and I love that more."**_ Makoto said, sitting down beside Momo.

"Aw, that's sweet… Anyway, I think we should stick to training her. If worse comes to worse, she can find somewhere to hide until the battle's over. Your hive has a lot of tunnels and rooms; I'm sure she'll be able to throw off anyone who's pursuing her."

"_**I certainly hope so; she's got nothing to do with this whole affair. I'd hate to see her hurt or worse because of this. She's my friend."**_ Shisome said quietly.

"She's mine as well." Momo agreed.

"_**And my mate."**_ Makoto added.

"Then we'll all just have to make sure that Adelicia can take care of herself, come Hell or high water…" Momo said determinedly.

"_**All right then; we're all agreed? We'll help Adelicia learn self-defense."**_ Shisome said.

"Okay; I'm ready for more training, I suppose…" Adelicia grumbled, coming back from the forest.

"Good; then we'll try a few more of those flipping moves and then we'll move on to blocking… Do you have a helmet?"

"No…"

"Then we'll need to practice on some softer ground…"

"Oh, joy…"

"Well, Jim's going to be training you tomorrow; and he's tough. You'll be glad you learned how to block."

"Yay…" Adelicia said flatly waving her arms listlessly.


	48. More Training

Disclaimer-Don't own it.

Sorry for the long wait!!! If anyone still reads this after all this time, please review and spread the word that I'm back!

Starting Over

Part 48

**More Training**

"But I'm so _tired_!" Adelicia couldn't help but whine as she trudged over to the soft bit of grass that served as a training mat.

"I know, Addie; but let's just get through this last set. You've done very well today; much better than yesterday!" Jim said gently. He and Momo had begun calling her "Addie" recently; mainly because they'd agreed that her full name was a little too long and too hard for Momo to pronounce with her Japanese accent.

Adelicia, Makoto, Jim, and Momo had come out to train in the warm sun. She had made some progress in the two days since she'd began training, but she still getting used to all the activity. So far, she'd made great strides in blocking and other defensive maneuvers, but was reluctant to take the offensive.

"_**Indeed, dear; you got knocked unconscious yesterday…but not so far today. With a little practice, you can beat him!"**_ Makoto encouraged gently.

"Yeah, Addie! Kick his friggin' ass!" Momo said from atop the rock on which she was sitting.

"Momo; language!" Adelicia said, giving the Shadow a mortified look. She hated swearing; always had.

"Oh, please, Addie! "Ass" isn't really even a swear anymore… It's not even the worst one I've said today!"

"I can vouch for that." Jim said, crossing his arms.

"Well, _ladies_ don't use such language; at least that's what I was told growing up."

"And they don't take self-defense lessons, and they make a fuss in public, and they don't breathe loudly…" Momo said, rolling her eyes.

"Well…they don't." Adelicia said, determined to win this one.

"Come on; I'm from a society that was just as oppressive as yours, and I don't even believe that crap. If I did, I would have married the man my parents wanted and had ten kids."

"What's wrong with marriage and children?" Adelicia asked, then saw the look Makoto gave her.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean–" she began.

"_**It's all right." **_the Praetorian reassured her gently.

"Anyway…there's nothing wrong with it; it's just not for me." Momo said.

"Let's just agree that maternity isn't for everyone, before things take a bad turn, shall we?" Jim intervened, sick of all the marriage talk.

"Agreed." The two girls said, nodding to one another.

"_**Another crisis avoided, and it's not even noon yet…"**_ Makoto sighed, walking over to a large rock and settling in for a nap.

Momo went back to sitting on her rock, and Jim and Adelicia squared off again.

The Shadow took a run at her, and Adelicia crouched and prepared to block the attack. She was caught off guard when Jim suddenly fell to the ground, brought his foot up, and knocked her feet from under her. She landed squarely on her rear with a little "oof" noise.

"I wasn't ready for that one!" the young woman said, standing and rubbing her rear.

"The enemy won't give you any warning; you might as well get used to it." Momo called.

"_**She's right; you've got to be prepared. These people aren't going to fight fair, Addie."**_ Makoto said gently. He'd come to like his mate's new nickname.

"But that doesn't mean that you have to fight dirty, too. The Yamamoto family has always asked that the Shadows fight with honor. We have specific rules under which we operate…but we can't divulge them to those outside the organization."

"And if honorable fighting doesn't work, hit 'em with a board when they're not looking." Momo said.

"_Momo!"_ Adelicia and Jim said together.

"What? You worry about honor; I'll worry about getting the job done! I'm not like some of the other Shadows who are born into it; I kick ass first and ask questions later!"

"Don't we know it." Jim said, rolling his eyes.

"Now, now; no arguing. Let's get back to training, shall we?" Adelicia said.

"Fine; let's try that one again…" Jim said, taking his previous position across from the woman.

They practiced for three more hours, until the sun began to set behind the trees. By this time, Adelicia had managed to fend off a few of Jim's attacks, but still had not taken the offensive.

"Come on; attack me!" he said at length, as Adelicia dodged a high kick that would have rendered her unconscious if it had connected.

"Go on, Addie; punch him! Kick him! Beat the piss out of him!" Momo shouted.

"_**Bite him!"**_ Makoto suggested.

"I'm sorry! I just can't!" Adelicia said, turning to look at her friends.

"_**You've got to attack, Addie! If you don't, they will; and believe me, they will not hesitate as you do!"**_ the Xenomorph said sternly.

"I've never harmed another living creature…" she said quietly.

"Well, these guys probably have. You've seen how they infiltrated the hive; they're good…almost Shadow good. One thing's for sure; Stone knows what she's doing…and she has a plan…" Momo said.

"What do you mean?"Adelicia asked.

"Look at it this way; she went to a lot of trouble to track Shisome and Makoto down; placing a mole in the Shadows and everything. She followed Kurai and Yamamoto-San here, she sent your ship's old crew here to die, she sent Kurai a message to get her to come to her, she infiltrated your hive and wounded Shisome–" she was stopped by Makoto.

"_**Yes; I've wondered about that. If she wanted to kill Shisome, she could have…so why didn't she?"**_ Makoto thought aloud.

"That's true; all she did was cut off a piece of one of Shisome's back spines. It might have been painful, but it was far from a fatal wound." Jim said, coming over to stand beside Adelicia.

"Yeah, and she had her lackeys take it with her; why would she do that?" Adelicia mused.

"Maybe some sort of weird trophy?" Momo suggested.

"That's all I can figure she'd want it for." Jim said.

"_**So now we've got a problem; she knows where we are, she knows she can get into the hive, she knows Kurai's coming, and she has a purpose." **_Shisome spoke up in their heads. The Queen liked to view the goings-on of the outside world through the eyes of her subordinates from time to time, and watching the humans practice-fighting had become one of her favorite pastimes.

"Not to mention that, thanks to Meisai, she may know a lot about the Shadows and the Yamamoto family." Jim said darkly.

"And, Meisai may not be the only mole she's got." Momo concluded.

"So what do we do now? Other than our holophones, we've got no way to contact Mr. Yamamoto, absolutely no way to contact Miss Kurai, and we're totally unprepared if Stone comes back with another group like the one she had before. Even with the whole hive, I don't know if we could fend them off." Adelicia said, sounding a little scared.

"_**I don't really think that she will come back. I think that Kurai's the one she's really interested in, for whatever reason. Stone probably wouldn't send Kurai a message like she did unless she wanted Kurai to come after her."**_ Makoto said.

"But why Kurai? Aren't you the one who killed her brother, aren't you?" Jim asked, looking at the Praetorian.

"_**Yes; but maybe she's blaming Kurai for releasing me in the first place?"**_

"Who cares why she's doing it; all that matters is that we've got a crazy bitch with a grudge trying to get Kurai to come to her. All that we can hope for is that, if worse comes to worse, Kurai will kill her before she can do any real damage." Momo said, in a tone of finality.

"_**I agree."**_ Makoto said.

"As do I." Shisome said.

Adelicia nodded, but she didn't look so sure.

"Well then; let's get home before the sun goes down. I don't want to be out here after dark." Jim said at last.

The four of them made sure they weren't leaving anything behind, then set off for the hive.


	49. Playing House

**Disclaimer-Don't own it.**

**Please, people; start reviewing again! I finally have time to write now!**

Starting Over

Part 49

**Playing House**

The next day, Adelicia got up and went quietly into her bathroom to bathe, stepping over a sleeping Makoto.

When she was done, she dressed quietly and went outside to find something to eat, taking her scanner with her. Remembering the carrot-like plant that Jim had indicated, she walked outside to the spot where she remembered the plant was growing and began looking for it.

It was still a little dark out, and the air was damp with the moisture that night often brought. The grass was still wet with dew, making it sparkle in the dim light. All around, the sounds of the night were still present; chirping insects and something that sounded like the flapping of small wings.

"Ah, here it is…" she said to herself, and held the scanner up to the plant; just to make sure.

"SPECIMEN MOST RESEMBLES: CARROT." the female voice on the scanner said metallically.

"So it's edible, then?" she said, checking the scanner's lighted screen. Seeing that the machine detected no levels of any known toxins in the plant, she decided to pick it. Reaching down, she gripped the vegetable by it's long stalk and gave a pull…

"Tough little thing, aren't you?" she said, when the vegetable didn't even budge.

Bracing her feet, she gave a grunt as she grabbed the plant and pulled harder, and felt it begin to stir.

"Now I've got you! You'll make a lovely stew when I'm done with you!" she said through clenched teeth.

She worked at it for another ten minutes, getting sweaty and red-faced with the strain of trying to force her prize from the ground. Finally, she sensed that it was getting nearer the surface, and began giving quick tugs on it; for she was getting tired.

Finally, the thing seemed to be giving in; it was about halfway out of the ground, and Adelicia could see that it more resembled a radish than a carrot.

"Stupid…stubborn…thing…" she panted, giving it another yank, and then a kick.

"_**I do hope you'll be a little less violent with me, when the time comes…"**_ Makoto said, startling her.

"Oh, did I wake you when I got up?" she asked, brushing some dirt and plant sap from her shirt.

"_**No; I woke up and noticed you were gone, so I followed your scent."**_ the Praetorian answered, walking over to survey the scene.

"And found me like this..." she said.

"_**Ah, I love whether you're covered in dirt or completely clean."**_ Makoto purred.

"You're sweet..." she said, walking over and gently rubbing the sweet spot right behind Makoto's crested head.

"_**So…do you need any help?"**_ he asked at length.

"Oh, I suppose I do… I was trying to pull it out, but it just won't cooperate… Can you get it out?" she asked, indicating the vegetable.

"_**Easily."**_ he said, then began to dig at the ground around the troublesome tuber. After a couple of minutes, Makoto had freed the giant radish from the ground and was presenting it to his mate. The thing was bigger than her head, and had a sweet, musty smell.

"_**You're not really going to eat that, are you?"**_ he asked, as Adelicia looked the thing over.

"Of course I am; why else would I go to all that trouble?"

"_**Ych! I can't imagine eating something so repulsive! I'd almost rather eat…cooked meat."**_ he said.

"Xenomorphs have different nutritional requirements than humans; you eat raw meat, we eat a variety of things. Honestly, I can't imagine life without fruits and vegetables."

"_**And I can't imagine life with them… To a casual observer, we must look like the strangest couple ever to come together!"**_ Makoto pointed out, rubbing his head against his mate's.

"Yes; we make it work somehow. Too bad the world can't get along like we do. Oh, well; will you help me carry this thing inside? I'm going to start a fire to cook it."

"_**All right; do you want me to put it in your room?"**_ he asked, picking up the large vegetable.

"No, but there's a small, empty room next to Shisome's chamber with a big hole in the ceiling and a small pool; I think I'll use it as a kitchen from now on, if Shisome says it's okay. Will you put it in there?"

"_**Of course. I'll be back in a moment… What will you do in the meantime?"**_

"I'll be out here seeing what else is edible; I saw what looked like fruit trees earlier and I'm hoping that they're suitable. I'd love to have some fresh fruit!"

"_**Well, be careful; it's still a little dark out, so stay near the hive."**_ the Praetorian said, then took his leave.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her scanner and turned it on. Jim and Momo had been teaching her how to use it properly during the past few days, and she had become pretty good at it.

Adelicia looked around until she spotted the tree she had seen earlier. The tree looked a lot like a weeping willow; with long branches that hung low to the ground. The trunk was very short and thick, and was a dark brown. The leaves were a dark green color, and were large and broad. The fruits were about the size of apricots, and were the color of the inside of a watermelon. They grew here and there on the long branches, and had a sweet, tangy smell that made Adelicia's mouth water.

"_I do hope they're edible…"_ she thought, holding the scanner up to one of the small fruits.

"SPECIMINE MOST RESEMBLES: NECTARINE." the electronic voice said, then spoke again.

"CAUTION: WHILE FRUIT IS EDIBLE, PIT CONTAINS HIGH LEVELS OF UNKNOWN TOXIN. PLEASE PROVIDE SAMPLE FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS."

"Oh, my…" Adelicia said, and moved away from the tree. She would have to get one of the Shadows to help her in providing a sample for the scanner to analyze.

"I'll suppose I'll have to cut it up before eating it…" she thought.

"_**Addie; I'm back… Did you find your fruit?" **_

Adelicia turned to see Makoto coming toward her.

"I found it, but I can't eat it just yet. The scanner says that the pits are poisonous. I'm going to talk to Momo or Jim and see what's the best way to prepare them. I'll also have to see if Shisome will let me use that chamber as my kitchen." she replied.

"_**I'm sure it'll be fine; that room's too small to use as anything in particular. The roof's got a hole in it; so it can't be used as an egg chamber… Why do you want to use that room, anyway?"**_ Makoto asked.

"Well, the open roof will allow me to have a fire in there, instead of having to go outside. I can wash clothes and dishes in there, too; so I won't have to go down to the river anymore…" she thought out loud.

"_**And I won't have to worry about you going out on your own… I think it's a good plan, Addie; I'll help you in any way I possibly can."**_ he said.

"Thank you, Makoto." she said, stroking the Xenomorph's eyeless head.

"_**So…we're alone…it's dark…we've nothing to do…"**_ Makoto purred, pulling his mate closer to him.

"Oh? And what do _you_ suggest we do to pass the time?" Adelicia said.

"_**Well, I have a couple of ideas…"**_ he replied sensually.

Gently, he picked his mate up and carried her to a nearby patch of grass, where he laid her down and began nibbling on her neck.

"Makoto! Someone will hear us!" Adelicia said between giggles, but didn't pull away.

"_**Let them; they'll be jealous of the treatment you're getting…"**_ the Xenomorph replied, caressing his mate all over. The two of them rolled around in the grass, laughing and hissing playfully, until…

"What have we here?"

Both of them looked up to see Momo standing nearby, smirking with her arms crossed and a towel over her shoulder. Apparently she'd being going to the river to bathe when she heard the two of them.

"Nothing!"Adelicia almost cried; pushing Makoto away. The Praetorian moaned in frustration, but got up anyway.

"Good morning, Adelicia…Makoto…" Momo smiled wider as the human woman brushed her pants off.

"_**Good morning, Momo…why up so early?"**_ Makoto asked; the frustration still clear in his voice.

"I was just going to take a bath, and I heard a commotion and came over to investigate; where I found you two. Do I need to leave you two alone for a few minutes?" she asked.

"No…we're all right…" Adelicia said quietly.

"_**Yes; go on and bathe. We'll be fine here…"**_ Makoto said quickly. Rising, he gently pushed Momo along toward the river.

"Wait, Makoto; I need to take another bath, too. I'll get a towel and go with Momo." Adelicia said, walking over to stand beside the Shadow.

"_**But, Addie…"**_ Makoto whined, his tail drooping.

"I'll be back, Makoto; just be patient. Besides; I have to ask Momo about that fruit." Adelicia said, then went off to get her towel.

"Sorry, Makoto; I didn't realize things were getting…heated." Momo apologized, as Adelicia went off to get her towel.

"_**It's fine; I suppose if we expected privacy we should have gone into the hive… There will be plenty of opportunities for intimacy later on…when all of this is over." **_

That's the spirit. I suppose that Xenomorphs have different ideas about romance than humans." the Shadow said, rearranging her towel.

"_**I suppose."**_ Makoto said.

"Well, what were they? Do you act like you do with Adelicia with other females?"

"_**No… It's different between members of my species."**_

"How so?" the Shadow asked, taking a seat on a rock.

"_**For one, we usually aren't monogamous. Sometimes a couple may remain together for a short time, and only very rarely we pair off permanently. Normally we just stay together long enough to…you know…and part." **_the Xenomorph explained.

"So you just do it and go on about your lives? Isn't it awkward; seeing that person later on?"

"_**Not really; I've been with…let's see…at least two dozen females, and we've all gotten along very well after. Most of us in the hive were with each other at one time or another…especially when our Queen was…"**_

"Was what?" Momo asked, curious now.

"_**Well, there are certain times when a Queen will become…how should I put it…very amorous. During these times, we become the same way. It's up the males to…help her through her ordeal. Only the luckiest males get that honor, however."**_

**A/N: I recently found out from an Alien Web site that the Queen will mate with members of her own hive. This doesn't mean that it's incest or anything; as Xenomorphs have no father and are therefore merely smaller clones of their Queen. I am currently having to redo a few things in my chapters to reflect this. Keep in mind that I found this information at multiple sources, and biologically it does seem to make sense; as much as anything having to do with the Xenomorphs does. So, if anyone has any questions on this, please feel free to PM me, as I'm always up for a **_**constructive**_** debate. **

"Were you one of them?" Momo asked.

"_**I don't mean to brag…"**_ Makoto said.

"You men are all alike; you think each escapade is some big thing that you have to talk about and embellish and drag out... Why are your species so obsessed with sex anyway?" the Shadow asked.

"_**I wouldn't say we're obsessed…"**_

"Oh, no? Every time I see you and Addie together, you seem like you're about to go at it."

"_**Look at it this way, Momo; we work all day, we could be killed at any moment, we grow to adulthood in about two hours…we've got nothing better to do with our free time. Addie and I are different, because we enjoy being together without being physical; but that is an exception. I hate to put all of this so crudely; but there's no other way of saying it. We really aren't too good at wordplay."**_

"I can see that… I guess if all you wanted was sex, you wouldn't be with Addie anymore…" Momo thought out loud.

"_**I really do care for her; she's different from most other humans. She's…special."**_ Makoto said, looking the sky.

"So then, what's with all the innuendo? Why are you always so suggestive?" Momo asked, crossing her arms.

"_**Honestly; I just like seeing the look on my mate's face. Believe me; if I thought for one moment that it bothered her, I'd stop in an instant. The last thing I'd ever want to do would be to upset and embarrass her. When it comes to other females; it's all just talk. Addie's the only one I want to be with."**_

"All right; let's go, Momo. I smell awful!" Adelicia said cheerfully, coming out of the hive, pink towel in one hand, bar of soap in another.

"Okay; you'll be fine here, Makoto?" Momo asked, as Adelicia came over.

"_**Yes; Shisome should be up by now, so I'll ask her about you using that chamber, Addie. Will you two be fine alone, or do you need someone to come along and keep you company?" **_he asked, upon noticing that the sun had started to rise, making the sky a pinkish color.

"We'll be fine; pervert. I've got my wakazashi with me." Momo said, giving Makoto a playful push.

"_**Oh? Where are you keeping it? You've got almost nowhere to put it with what you're wearing…"**_ Makoto purred. Momo smiled and pulled her towel aside, showing the weapon around her waist outside of her robe.

"And if you want to keep that up, I'll put it somewhere else…" the Shadow said sweetly.

"_**Time for me to go…"**_ the Praetorian said quickly. Turning, he loped back into the hive and out of sight.

"Come on, Addie; let's get our bath over with…" Momo said, shaking her head and laughing.

The two walked down to the river to one of the large pools created by the bank. This one was not still water, but was moving at a good pace; which was good, as Momo said that all kinds of nasty things liked to live in the still waters of rivers. Luckily, the water was clear, so they could see to the bottom. Once Momo had made sure that there was nothing on the river bottom that could hurt them, they disrobed (with Adelicia waiting until Momo was in the water, then having her turn her back) and entered the pool.

"So, Momo; I read somewhere that people do this kind of thing in Japan all the time?" Adelicia asked, after getting used to the cool water.

"Well; we have public bathhouses. They almost died out in the twenty-first century; but lately they've become really popular again. We've got _onsen_; hot springs, too. You just soak in those, and it's like a vacation, if you can afford it. The really good onsen will provide lodging and meals for you for a couple of days while you enjoy the springs. I've been to the ones that are for everyone; but since I've been working for Yamamoto-san, I've been to the really good ones; they have gourmet food and five-star accommodations. This place is nicer, though; there're no guys trying to peek at us." Momo explained, beginning to wash her hair.

"You must get to go to so many amazing places…"Adelicia said, following the Shadow's example and wetting her own hair.

"I suppose; but it's nice to stay in one place, too. Hey, what was Makoto talking about asking Shisome; and you said you had something to ask about fruit?"

"Oh, I found a room that would be perfect for an indoor kitchen. All I need is for Shisome to give the go-ahead and I can start on it. It'll be much more convenient than having to go outside whenever I have to cook; and safer, too." she explained.

"That's true. I'll help you; it'll be like playing house…but better!" Momo said, rinsing her hair.

"Thanks, Momo; I appreciate it." Adelicia said, smiling.

"And the fruit?" Momo asked, after a few minutes.

"Yes, well; there are these fruit on some trees, and my scanner said that they would be fine to eat, but the pits are poisonous. The scanner wanted me to provide a sample of the poison, but I don't know how to do it. Can you show me? The last thing I'd want to do is eat something that could kill me!"

"No problem; it's really simple. I'll show you after training today." the Shadow said cheerfully.

The two continued on with their bath, before drying off, dressing and returning to the hive.

"_**There you are; I was hoping you'd return soon. Jim wants to talk with both of you. He's waiting in Shisome's chamber."**_ Makoto said. He had been waiting at the hive's entrance for them.

"All right then." Adelicia said, and followed the Xenomorph to the Queen's chamber.

"Finally, you're back!" the male Shadow said, coming over to greet them.

"What is it, Jim; I have go get dressed before my hair dries…" Momo said, a little annoyed.

"Momo, Adelicia; I got a call from Yamamoto-san, which you would have received as well, Momo, if you'd had your phone with you." Jim said, looking at Momo.

"I was bathing, Jim… What did Yamamoto-san want?"

"He was calling to say that…well…" Jim seemed unsure of how to continue.

"_**Come on; out with it!"**_ Shisome urged gently. Jim had been asking her more of his questions when the device had gotten his attention. He had taken the call in private, so the Queen had no idea of what went on between him and the person on the other end. She was finding it very interesting that Hoshi had called so soon.

"It seems that… It seems that Miss Kurai got in contact with Yamamoto-san again, and…" Jim seemed a little confused.

"And what, fool?" Momo said, losing patience.

"Well, Miss Kurai will be here in two days' time." he finished.


	50. The Final Chapter!

**Disclaimer – Don't own it.**

**Well, we've come to the last chapter in Starting Over! I hope everyone here enjoyed the story as much as I loved writing it! Next up is the third installment in the One Crazy Life series!!!**

Starting Over

Part 50

The Last Chapter

"All right; the fire pit will go here." Adelicia directed.

It was the next day, and the whole hive was making preparations for Kurai's arrival. Because they could do little more than wait for the event, everyone had decided to simply continue on with life as usual. Adelicia had gotten permission from Shisome to use the chamber for her kitchen, and was using the conversion of it to fill in day. The place was about twenty feet square, with large pieces of rock that jutted out of the wall in places, creating ideal counter space. There was a hole in the ceiling above the fire pit; it was about four feet around, and was perfect for letting the smoke out and the air in. The only issue would be getting something to cover the hole when it rained; but that could wait for later.

Makoto came over and began to tear large chunks out of the solid rock. Soon he had a hole dug in the floor that was about three feet around and two feet deep.

"_**Well, I think it looks good; but shouldn't the sides be smoother?"**_ Lee asked, examining Makotos' work. She had come in earlier to see what she could do about the pool in the corner of the room. The pool was about five feet wide by four feet deep, and would make be perfect for washing dishes and getting fresh water. It was fed by a small but strong waterfall that came from a crack in the wall above. At first, the pool had overflowed, but soon it balanced itself out, and the excess water was already drying up.

"Chill, Lee; it's fine." Momo said.

"_**No; I think she's right. Kurai had one of these at her home and the sides were smoother. Let's see what can be done here…"**_ With this, he thought a moment, before apparently hitting on an idea. Walking over to a corner, he picked up a bucket that Adelicia and Momo had previously been using to haul bits of rock out of the cave and began using it to fill the hole with water. The rock wasn't porous, so the water stayed inside the hole very well.

"Oh, Makoto; we already have a pool for water…" Adelicia said, seeing what her mate was doing.

"_**Just trust me, Addie."**_ Makoto said. He filled the hole up about halfway, then handed the bucket to Adelicia.

"_**When I tell you to, get some water from the pool and pour it in here."**_ he instructed.

"All right; but what are you–" she was about to say more, when she saw what Makoto's plan was.

Bringing his tail over his shoulder, Makoto took hold of the bladed tip and ran his hand down it. Holding his hand over the pool, he allowed his acid blood to drop into the water. He had to squeeze his hand several times to get enough blood to fall into the water, but soon his idea became more apparent. Reaching down into the pool with the hand he'd previously cut, he began to smooth the sides of the pool as best he could. He worked at this for a little while, until his hand stopped bleeding.

"_**Now, Addie."**_ he said, leaning back.

Adelicia did as she was told, and emptied a bucket of fresh, cool water into the hole. The idea was to dilute the acid enough so that it wouldn't keep eating through the bottom, but to leave it corrosive enough to smooth out the sides. Makoto arched his tail, cut his hand, and began the process on another patch of rock.

This process continued until the sides and bottom of the hole were all as smooth as possible. By this time, Adelicia had put in so much water that it had begun to overflow slightly.

"I'd better start bailing out, then." Adelicia said, reaching for the bucket, but Makoto stopped her.

"_**Don't! Even diluted, our blood could seriously injure you."**_ he said, grabbing her hand with his unwounded one.

"So, how do we get the water out? We could leave it to evaporate, but it'll take days…" Momo thought out loud.

"_**I've got an idea there!"**_ Lee said, then began to secrete some resin from her mouth. Adelicia got a little queasy when she saw Xenomorphs doing this, but figured that it wasn't as odd for them to do as it was for her to witness.

In a couple of minutes, Lee had used the resin to make a sort of large bowl. Dipping the bowl into the water, she took it over to the pool and poured it in.

"The water will carry the acid out of the cave!" Adelicia said brightly.

"_**Exactly; and our resin isn't damaged by our blood. You help too, Makoto."**_ Lee said. Makoto followed Lee's example and made himself a bowl as well.

The two of them continued this until there was only a tiny bit of water left in the bottom.

"_**The water will dry up before the acid can eat further into the rock."**_ Makoto said, putting his bowl in the corner and sitting down.

"Will your hand be all right?" Adelicia asked, coming over to kneel beside her mate.

"_**Yes; it'll heal in a day or so. We're proficient healers; we have to be."**_ Makoto said, purring at his mate's concern, but also making sure that she didn't touch his hand.

"Well, all right then; what else can we do around here…?" Adelicia said, looking around the room. Looking to one wall, she saw a large crack, which gave her an idea.

"Makoto; do you think you or Lee could dig out a smaller room in this crack?" she asked, indicating the spot.

"_**It shouldn't be too much of a problem…"**_ he replied, walking over and examining the crack.

"_**That's right; this rock is cracked, and our claws are sharp…we should be able to do this with little effort. What are you going to do with a hole in the wall, anyway?" **_Lee asked.

"_**She'll be needing somewhere in which to store her food. I've seen similar things on the humans' planet. There were ones made out of wood, and ones made of metal that were cold inside…"**_ the Praetorian remembered.

"_**Those were the ones with the best food in them…"**_ Shisome thought, drooling at the memory of chicken.

"This one will hold dried foods; there's no way to get it cold." Adelicia said, looking over the crack again.

"_**Such an odd species…"**_ Lee said, shaking some dirt from her body.

"_**But with such delicious food!"**_ Shisome said, still drooling.

"_**So I suppose you know what those human storage containers are like, Makoto?"**_ Lee asked the older male.

"_**Yes; I'll show you…"**_ he replied.

The two of them collaborated for a moment, then looked at the rock, and began to dig. They dug out a large niche in the wall, while Adelicia and Momo got a few more of the Xenomorphs to help them move rocks and debris out of the cave.

"_**So many odd things you humans do!"**_ Swift commented, coming back inside after carrying off a large rock.

"I suppose we do; but don't you dig tunnels in your hives?" Momo asked, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"_**Yes, but you have rooms for everything; eating, sleeping, keeping things… I'm surprised you don't have rooms for using the toilet."**_

"We do, actually; and I'm working on that for this hive." Adelicia said, bringing up another large rock, which was quickly taken from her by Feather.

"Are you sure you guys don't mind helping us?" Momo asked, as Rain took a piece of rock from her and added it to a small pile she was carrying.

"_**Not at all; we're curious to see what you're going to do with this room."**_ the Runner said cheerfully, before taking the rocks out of the room.

"_**Adelicia; I'm not sure I completely understand what you're wanting to do. Do you mean to say that you'd like to have a room where you can relieve yourself…inside?"**_ Shisome asked, confused.

"Yes; we humans are accustomed to such things." Adelicia replied.

"_**It's odd to me too, Shisome; but it will be safer for them. I don't like the idea of them going out in the middle of the night."**_ Makoto said, taking a rest. Lee followed his example and went over to get a drink from the pool.

"_**That's true; I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to Adelicia. I know, also, that Lee wouldn't like it if something happened to Jim, and Hoshi wouldn't appreciate it if Momo died in such a manner."**_ Makoto said, taking a drink himself.

"_**Then it's settled; now all we have to do is find another chamber for the purpose. It is a bit of a delicate situation, though."**_ Shisome said.

"_**I found a small one the day we moved in here, Shisome. It's on the other side of Adelicia's room. They can use that one, if you agree to it. It's smaller than this one, and has another little pool in it. Adelicia, Momo and Jim will have to decide what modifications will have to be made on it, though." **_Makoto said.

"_**Very well; I'm eager to see what you will do with this."**_ Shisome said.

"I just feel guilty about using so much space in your home." Adelicia said.

"_**Don't worry about it; if it bothered me, I'd have said something by now. You're always welcome here, Addie."**_ the Queen said comfortingly.

"_**How does this look, Addie?"**_ Lee asked, indicating the wall. Most of the rocks and debris had been cleared, leaving a visibly large, roughly rectangular hole in the wall.

"_**Oh, I think you need a few shelves in here…"**_ Makoto said, before going over and getting to work on it.

"_**You three should go see what you can do with that other chamber. This is sort of a delicate project; I could be a while."**_ he said, after a couple of minutes.

"Well, all right then; if you're sure…" Adelicia said, leaving the room with Momo and Lee following. They were about to go out into the corridor, when Lee spotted Jim and went off with him. Adelicia and Momo giggled to each other; those two were so cute together.

They made their way to the chamber that Makoto had indicated, and began to survey the scene. The room was only about half as large as the one that would be used as the kitchen, and had a small "window" in one wall created by the light streaming through a crack. There was a tiny pool in the corner of the room, like with the other chamber, but this one was different; the water in it seemed to be flowing much faster than in the other rooms.

"Hey; that's perfect for a bathroom. It's like, an automatic flush!" Momo observed.

"Yes; but the water's right at the surface… How will we…you know?" Adelicia asked, a little embarrassed.

"How about we make a toilet to go over the top of the pool?" Momo suggested.

"How would we do that?" Adelicia asked.

"Well, basically, all we would need would be a box with a hole in one side and open on the other… A crate would be fine, if it were sturdy enough. There're no more pools in here, so a sink is out; but we'll just have to wash our hands in one of the other pools." Momo said, looking at the pool again.

"And there's another problem; what if the water from here goes to the kitchen?" Adelicia said, a sour look on her face.

"I don't think it does; the water is flowing out here. This is just an opening in the rock; we're looking down at what seems to be a small underground river. The water in the new kitchen looks like it's coming from outside…maybe from the river out there. I don't think the two are connected. The water in the kitchen flows in through a waterfall, and flows out through the floor. It is a genuine concern, however. Oh, Yamamoto-san is coming soon, so I'll get one of the Shadows with him to lend me a tracking device. We can use it to see if the river does in fact lead back to the kitchen or not." Momo said.

"So, where will we get a small crate?" Adelicia asked.

"As long as we're waiting, I can see if Yamamoto-san can spare one of the ones on the ship. He's always got dozens of them lying around." the Shadow said lightly.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's get back to Makoto…" Adelicia said.

"Too bad we can't do more in here yet. We'll just have to keep using the bushes for now, I guess…" Momo sighed, as they left the room.

The rest of the day went well; Makoto did a very good job on the shelves; using the same technique with his acidic blood as he did on the fire pit (which had dried up by that point). It was getting dark now, and everyone was inside.

"Are you sure your hand will be all right?" Adelicia asked, looking at his hand again. The first wound had already begun to heal, and the fresher one was on its way.

"_**Yes, Addie; I'll be fine. I've had worse wounds than this, and I've come through it all right."**_ he said, touching her face with other hand.

"I just worry about you, that's all." she said.

"_**I know you do…"**_ Makoto replied, pulling her closer to him.

"Sorry to interrupt; but there's a big meeting in Shisome's chamber." Momo said, coming into the room. She had gone to get some of the fruit that Adelicia had talked about for analysis, wanting to see them for herself.

The two of them walked out of the room, following Momo. Before they entered the Queen's chamber, the Shadow took Adelicia aside, making Makoto give a curious hiss.

"I just need to talk to her for a minute." Momo explained, and Makoto nodded and went on ahead.

"I analyzed that fruit for you; it turns out that the seeds are highly toxic. However, the toxin is only contained in the center, so as long as you don't crack the pit, the fruit will be edible. I'd suggest cutting around the pit, though; as opposed to just biting into it. The fruit comes off the pit pretty easily. I already had one; it tastes like a mix of a nectarine and a banana!" the Shadow said excitedly.

"Wonderful; I'll pick some of them tomorrow. Let's go; they can't start the meeting without us." Adelicia said, and the two proceeded into Shisome's chamber.

"Okay; is everyone here?" Jim asked, when they arrived. They hadn't seen him all day, and had begun to wonder where he had gone.

"I've been going around the hive today, making observations. It looks at though we are fairly well-protected. The only major point of entry that I can see is the main entrance. Barring an attack from below, there's no way that Stone can get to us. Are there any questions so far?" Jim asked, looking around.

"Yeah; what makes you so sure that Stone's going to even come here again?" Momo asked.

"I'm not sure; but we have to be prepared in case she does. Makoto; did you ever think that she'd attack your hive directly before?"

"_**No; most humans wouldn't be so stupid." **_Makoto replied.

"See there? Now, both Kurai and Yamamoto-san are coming here, so we'll be able to figure out our next move. Hopefully, Yamamoto-san can get a couple of leads on Stone, and a pursuit can begin."

"_**What do we do in the meantime?"**_ Feather asked, tail swishing.

"Nothing we can do but wait for something to happen. As frustrating as it sounds, we've got no way off this planet to escort the ships here, or to evacuate if something goes wrong." Momo said, going up to stand beside Jim.

"_**I hate this! We just have to sit and see if we're attacked or not? I can't accept that! My duty is to our Queen; if we can't protect her, what use are we?"**_ Seiren asked in frustration.

"_**We've no choice; we'll just have to make the best of it."**_ Shisome said gently, and the Praetorian calmed down.

"_**Kurai and Hoshi are coming tomorrow, yes?"**_ Makoto asked.

"Yes; she told Yamamoto-san that she should be here tomorrow morning. We'll go meet her when her ship lands. Yamamoto-san should be here tomorrow evening. He's taking the _Phoenix_; so he's going to get here faster than he did last time." Jim said.

"_**Then, let's get some sleep; there's no use in us all being tired when we discuss things tomorrow."**_ Shisome said.

"_**I agree with Shisome; it's getting late, and I'm tired."**_ Lee said.

"I am, too." Adelicia said.

"_**Let's go, then; we've got a big day tomorrow."**_ Makoto agreed.

They all rose, and headed to their respective places of rest. Makoto and Adelicia headed to their room, where, after the usual innuendo, they finally went to sleep.

_The Next Day…_

"_**Come on, Addie; wake up."**_ Makoto said, gently prodding his mate awake.

"What?" she asked sleepily.

"_**Get up, dear, and bathe; Kurai's ship has already landed. They're on their way here now."**_ the Xenomorph said.

"Oh!" she said, then jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, Adelicia was wearing her best pink dress.

"How could I have overslept today?" she cried, braiding her hair.

"_**I let you; you were so tired after yesterday."**_ Makoto said, watching her hurry.

"But I wasn't there to greet Miss Blackwood!" she said, tying her hair with a pink ribbon.

"_**It'll be fine; you'll meet her soon. I'm going to go check and see how Shisome is doing. Will you be all right alone?"**_ he asked.

"I'll be fine; I'll…I'll go get some fruit. Maybe Miss Kurai will be hungry; I don't want to seem rude…" she said thoughtfully.

"_**Be careful outside, all right?"**_ Makoto said, nuzzling his mate affectionately.

"I will, I promise." Adelicia replied. The Praetorian gave her an affectionate nip, before heading out the door. Adelicia went to the new kitchen and, smiling at the sight of the now-dry fire pit, picked up the bucket that she'd used for water the day before and headed out to pick the fruit.

She worked for about ten minutes; there were a lot of fruit, but she thought that half a bucket would be plenty. Taking her harvest, she hurried back to the hive.

"Better wash them first." she thought to herself, kneeling down beside the pool with the bucket. Looking around, she went and got one of the bowls that Makoto and Lee had used the day before and, after thoroughly washing it out, put the fruit in it and began pouring water over them.

When the fruit was clean, she quickly took them over to one of the counters and began using a dishtowel that she'd gotten from Mr. Yamamoto to dry them. While she was drying, she could have sworn that she heard something behind her. Turning, she saw nothing, save for some dust that got caught in the sunbeams.

Shrugging her shoulders, she went back to her fruit. She was about to pick up the bowl, when she felt something cold putting pressure on her throat.

"Don't move!" an unfamiliar voice hissed in her ear.

"Kurai, wait!" another voice cried, then Adelicia's world went black.

**End**


End file.
